


HP AU explorations

by hillnerd



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/F, F/M, Gen, Genderbending, Genderswap, Hinny, M/M, Rarry, head canons, romione
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2019-11-06 18:23:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 37,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17944805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hillnerd/pseuds/hillnerd
Summary: Chapter 1: What if Hermione lost her memory? What would Ron have to do to win her back?Chapter 2: If Hermione had been in Ravenclaw, how would she have known Ron? How would they get together?Chapter 3: What if Ron and Hermione were Genderswapped?Chapter 4: Romione if Ron and Hermione were BOTH girlsChapter 5: What if Hermione had said yes to Ron's invite to the Yule Ball?Chapter 6: Pureblood Grangers & Muggleborn Ron & Ginny- R/HrChapter 7: Muggle!Hermione and Wizard!RonChapter 8: Hermes and Ron (m/m Romione)On my tumblr I've gotten lots of asks/prompts and write out fairly detailed ideas- not quite ficlets, not quite straight meta- Decided to post them here one by one. Different one in each 'chapter.' Cause they're fun :) And I'd like to put them in one place.Future prompts-  Rarry in canon, Muggle!Hermione, Genderswapped Harry w/ Romione , f/f Romione





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Idea: Hermione has an accident and loses her memory. What would Ron do to make her fall in love again?

 

So in this scenario- it’s about five years after the war. Things are finally a bit more peaceful, but they’re still rounding up the last of the war criminals every once in a while- one such war criminal is brought in to the Ministry and Hermione is helping with the case- somehow they wrestle a wand off of someone and have Hermione at wandpoint. That’s when they decided to do a terrible spell to ‘teach the presumptuous m**blood a lesson.’ They hit her with a spell and she passes out.

She wakes up in a hospital she doesn’t recognize- her head is pounding. She is sitting up on the bed very confused when a tall red headed man walks into the room holding a mug of tea.

“Hermione, you’re awake!” he says, looking relieved and like he really really cares. She has no idea who he is. Perhaps he’s one of the doctors? He’s not wearing a white coat- but some of them are more casual right? Then he’s holding her hand which seems very odd for a doctor. Then he leans in and kisses her. She slaps him.

“Don’t touch me!”

He looks at her stunned. Some doctors(??!!) come in responding to her yell, they are wearing bright green uniforms, and are waving a bunch of sticks at her. She begins to panic. What is going on?! So she’s feeling insane- and like something is deeply wrong with her and is witnessing people staring at her like SHE’S the one who is nuts as they wave sticks at her like a bunch of lunatics.  Finally she lets out a yowl of, “What’s going on? Where are my parents! Stop pointing those sticks at me!’

“Hermione?” The redhead asks, looking at her fearfully. He tentatively reaches towards her.

“I said don’t touch me! I don’t know who you are, but if you think you can come in and start kissing a stranger, you are very much mistaken! I’m going to report you!”

One of the strange doctors/kidnappers points a stick at her and she feels a flash move through her body- making her suddenly feel very sleepy. The last thing she sees is the red headed man looking at her in shock.

She wakes up restrained, but calm. She’s on some medication of some sort they say- ‘Potions.’ Whatever… Where are her parents? They ask her questions about things she remembers- She can remember her childhood, then snippets of summer and winter vacations, a few dinners with her parents- some odd memories of Australia… Her memories just seem to get vaguer and vaguer. Those are the last memories she has that are clear. Even through the potion, she feels fear gripping her. She asks how old she is- she’s almost 23. What??? When she looks in a mirror she’s shocked, as on many levels she still feels she’s just a teen.

The ‘healers’ do a lot of tests after giving her some sort of medicine that makes her feel even calmer-

They explain magic. It’s a think apparently. She’s magical. She seems to have lost a great deal of her memory.

They just had a vague notion of what the spell cast on her would do after they translated it (because spells are all in latin and there were multiple witnesses to the spell.) They thought it might be a spell to make her unable to remember spells or inhibit her magic. Instead it is something far far worse.

They figure out all her magical memories have been stripped from her mind. This isn’t just spells and such- this is everything linked to magic at all. Every person, every memory touched by magic. The spell caster basically wanted to make her a ‘muggle’ the only way they could.

The Healers have no idea if they can restore these memories or not, as the spell used is not one they had heard of before.

They bring forth a ton of people to see if she can recognize any of them- she doesn’t know any of them- a black haired man, a ton of red heads, a weird girl with blonde hair- an endless sea of people. The only one she can remember the name of is Ron, and that’s only because apparently he’s her fiance, and it’s hard to forget someone practically molesting you in a hospital.

They give her a stick to see if any route memories of magic come to her. She waves her wand about and says ‘abra kadabra’ which makes them all look very frightened as they take the wand from her saying she could have killed someone! What? With the stick? Sorry- the wand?

She wants to go home!

She wants nothing to do with the wizarding world and all its nonsense- she wants her parents.  

Her ‘friends’ she’s introduced to all seem to want to push her to stay, so she can try to prod her memory more and do more of the ‘do you recognize this?’ game, but she doesn’t want to listen to any of them at all. Who even are they? The only one who doesn’t push her is Ron. He hasn’t tried to touch her again since he found out about her memory. He has barely spoken to her, but hasn’t left the hospital, even though she’s been there a week since waking.

She tries to give him the engagement ring on her hand- which he urges her to keep. She thinks it ridiculous to be engaged to a stranger- but he almost brokenly says ‘maybe you won’t be one eventually…’ so she keeps it. She hadn’t thought about how hard this would be for him- the stranger who loved her? She feels a touch cruel now for trying to give the ring back. There is something about this Ron fellow that makes her not completely hate the idea of trying to get to re-know him. Someday. Not now though.

Everyone is pushing her and pushing her (except Ron and the odd blonde girl with protuberant eyes)- but Ron mournfully is like ‘I’ll support you… Just do what you want. Whatever will make you happiest.’ She wants something familiar and calming- which is to be with her parents at home.

They seem pleased to have her, though worried. They’re tiptoeing around her like she’d insane- and maybe she is now? How sane can you be when you are missing half your life and everything that you learned. She thought this would be a way to heal- but honestly she feels on edge and like all the thoughts and learning she’d ever done had been stripped away from her. She feels oddly empty and lonely.

The healers said they’d be doing research on her spell damage- as if they blindly go in with their normal spells they could make it permanent- if it isn’t already. So they say she can leave- she can do magic- perhaps try things to spark her memory. They’ll do weekly tests to make sure of improvements/worsening memory but beyond that she doesn’t have to go to the hospital again.

A trunk of items that might help her with her memories is brought by Ron about a week into her stay. He came all this way and is looking at her with such intensity she decides to invite him in. After all, he’s basically lost his fiance. Maybe it would be interesting to get to know him and wants to see why she had wanted to marry a man who, so far, seemed good looking but beyond that not all that impressive. He is polite, doesn’t push things, as they go through the trunk. There is nothing very personal in there. He decided to start with her old school things- nothing all that personal yet- since that was how she was first introduced to the wizarding world, and she’d always been into academics. That was thoughtful, she decides. She definitely wouldn’t have been comfortable looking at photos and being forced to remember things.

There are tons of books, quills, and she sees her handwriting all over the place- not in spiral notebooks but in long pieces of rolled up parchment like she was writing patents of nobility or something. She laughs at how stupid and inefficient it is to have things on scrolls. Ron quietly watches her as she looks through it all. She begins looking through the books and finds them fascinating.

“I could really do… This is real then? Real magic? That I could do?”

“You are the most brilliant witch I’ve ever met,” he says nodding. Being called witch makes her feel uncomfortable. Sounds more like an insult than a positive identifier.

Ron asks if she’s curious to try a spell.

She decides yes. He conjures up a feather like object- from nowhere! And has her try a spell called ‘Wingardium Leviosa.’ She says it wrong and he coaches her to say it ‘Levi-O-sah, not LevioSAH’- and the little flick at the end. She does it! She made the feather float! They’re grinning at each other, though she sees he looks misty eyed.

He’s being really patient with her as she learns such an easy spell. Apparently from their first year at Hogwarts. There’s something fascinating about him; his lopsided grin, his shockingly red hair, his blue eyes- how tall he is, and how genuine and sweet he seems. He doesn’t treat her like she’s nuts or to be pitied.

She asks him to tell him about himself, as she doesn’t know anything. He does- all about his family (A few stories making her laugh as he describes people and does the voices for them), his job, his favorite things including some sport she’d never heard of, and Chess.

“Oh! Let’s play chess,” Hermione says. Her dad has a board somewhere in his study. They play chess and he beats her very quickly. She tries a few times, but it’s like playing a computer. He’s smart.

She has to admit- her ‘fiance’ is seeming more impressive by the minute. He’s good looking, sweet, thoughtful, funny, smart. It was like going on her very first date, really. A very nice first date. And she already knows he loves her- I mean, they’re affianced!- but even if it weren’t for that, she could tell with how he looks at her. He hasn’t tried once to bring up their own history or force anything.

An alarm goes off from his wand, and he looks at her regretfully. He has to go to work- but maybe he can come by again? Beyond taking her to the hospital, as her parents can’t get into St Mungos.. She says she’d like that.

Each week they go to the hospital together, each week she’s the same. Ron keeps coming to the house though! They try more spells, play more chess, he brings her cat from their place (their place!- what an odd thought!) and the cat is the most perfect things in the world she’s ever seen.   
  
He goes with her to St Mungo’s for them to try spells on her after a month- they don’t work. This is just the first round! Don’t lose hope!

  
His visits get longer each time, and by her asking, not his. She asks Ron for more and more of the stories of their youth- the adventures they went through- the war stuff. She’d been through a war? She’s nearly died? It’s especially hard for him to tell of the people they lost, including his brother dying. She holds his hand hoping he know she cares.

He brings Harry over a few times too, and Ginny- and brings over Luna and Neville. George. Little Teddy and his amazing hair. More and more people visit her. The wizarding world really has some wonderful people in it.

She reads about apparition and flying- and he does apparition with her in her parent’s house (Which gives her a thrill as the two of them are so physically close) and he swears he’ll take her for a fly when he can.

She’s feeling more and more herself (well, she THINKS it’s more herself) and slowly she starts to become more and more comfortable with the wizarding world- getting to visit the Burrow, Harry and Ginny’s place (they’ve just found out they’re pregnant!), Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, and Hogsmeade. Ron takes her for a fly at The Burrow. She doesn’t think she’d ever like to do it on her own, but with him it was quite magical, his arms wrapped around her as he guided them around at a steady pace. She gets to watch him and everyone else play quidditch, which is very impressive. He’s so fast- they all are! Especially his little sister! She says she’ll bring Hermione to one of her professional matches soon. Ron shows her his childhood room, which makes her laugh at how adorably shy he is about it- this incredibly tall man, who’s been her guide through everything- being embarrassed to show her his room.

That’s when she realizes- she’s starting to become smitten with Ron Weasley!- he’s a little rough around the edges- he curses a lot, jokes a lot, is informal etc- but he’s been a real gentleman with her, patient, and perfect.

She decides she’d like to see their place- her and Ron’s. He tells her to give him 10 minutes (As he hasn’t been keeping it as nice without her there…) He apparates her there after he’s cleaned, and even though she knows she doesn’t remember the place, it feels familiar. It’s how she would have wanted things to be. He gives her a tour- There are book shelves all over, and it has character- and there are photos of her and Ron kissing and being obviously a happy couple.

He’s keeping his distance from her as she looks at the photos on the mantle. Ron is looking at her with that intense look she’s seen on his face at times- the look of sadness, longing, love? She talks to him about the thoughts going through her head- how it’s odd to think that she’s been kissed. They only had one bed, so most likely she’s done all sorts of intimate things with him she can’t remember. She feels like her body should know it, somehow, but she feels the same. She decides she’d like her first kiss to be with him. He’s uncertain.

‘Are you sure? I mean… I don’t want to push you!’

‘I promise I won’t slap you again,’ Hermione says with a smile.

It’s a very chaste kiss, but it’s wonderful.

She falls for Ron one day at a time. She eventually wants to see where she’s been working- realizing she hasn’t seen it yet- and that’s when it strikes her how broken she feels having all her memories gone. She sees the pitying looks on people’s faces- they seem to think she’s an imbecile now! And she realizes she might just be one now- she doesn’t have an education anymore. What is she fit for? What will her future be!? She’s panicking, but Ron is able to calm her a bit when he says no matter what, she’ll have support for whatever future she chooses- and she can catch up and be amazing at anything.

It’s been several months- they’ve tried cure after cure at St Mungo’s- but no progress is made.

Over the months, she has fallen in love with Ron (again) and is ok with moving back in with him. He’s her fiance, after all- so she doesn’t feel odd for doing this so quickly. They have history she doesn’t remember- but it just feels right.

Things are very chaste for a long time- and they have a good routine where she is trying to catch up on 7 years of Hogwarts education (both on her own and with correspondence with teachers) and magical law.

They get intimate over time and it’s odd how he knows her body better than she does as she’d never done all that much to explore her body’s wants by herself- but he knows all sorts of ways that she likes being touched. She’s happy that some day she will marry him- even if she never remembers their initial timeline again.

One not so special day the healers think they have a solution. They have gathered a tons of memories from Ron and Harry and everyone else they could find- and think they can use this and a lot of other spells to perhaps access the hidden ones in her mind and help ‘unlock’ them if you will- they do the spell. It doesn’t seem to have worked. Hermione didn’t think it would. They go home, feeling a bit deflated but Hermione says: “In the end, it doesn’t matter if I remember all that or not. I’ll always love you.”

She suddenly has a bit of a headache as they go to sleep together, cuddling in a way that makes her feel so protected and calm, despite the disappointing day. She wakes up with her head hurting even worse than the night before- and stumbles into kitchen.  Maybe she’s hungry?

“I’d love if you could conjure up some croissants,” she says to Ron who is making some tea.

He recites off Gamp’s Laws of Transfiguration.

“That was impressive!”

“Always the tone of surprise,” Ron says with a smile.

Then something clicks.

“Wait… Say that again?”

“Gamp’s laws? Merlin, I knew quoting that brainy tosh would turn your head. We’re not using that in the bedroom,” he jokes, but she’s not laughing. He looks at her seriously now. She’s making that face she makes when she’s working out a puzzle.

“You’ve said that before…” she says feeling like she’s reaching for a dream she can barely remember. “The ‘always the tone of surprise.’ You’ve said it… And I’ve said it…”

Ron immediately is helping her sort it out. Telling her where the memories are from- as he says it those specific memories from Bill and Fleur’s Wedding and from after the Battle- the feel of hugging him when he was alright- They’re back- clear as day! She can remember them.

“Quick! Say something else you’ve said!”

They start going through memories and they start clicking into place- she is able to provide more and more of the memories without him prompting things.

It takes weeks- but her memory is finally back. There are times where certain obscure things are a bit vague- but they snap into place as more structural memories are snapped back into place.

In most ways she’s so happy her memories are back- She can remember all the good times, all the spells, all the little moments that made her become the person she is today. Some days when she has to mourn for people or remember something horrible she wishes they weren’t back- but getting to remember all the moments she shared with her friends, and with her Ron- they’re worth the hurt.

Plus, it’s not everyone who gets to have two first kisses with the love of their life.


	2. Ravenclaw!Hermione

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: If Hermione had been in Ravenclaw, how would she have known Ron? And gotten together with him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There would be some MAJOR differences that would have happen 1st through 3rd year.*(at end of headcanon I get into this) Basically there’s barely be any interaction between Hermione and her boys at all- and they somehow magically survived everything.  
> 
> I imagine a Ravenclaw Hermione would mean less gregarious, impulsive and brave- and it might even help her to tamper her ambitions a bit more than she was able to in Gryffindor, because her priorities would be slightly different. I think she would actually be friends with Padma. They’d never have a super fun relationship, but they’d get along and be able to share things, and enjoy one another’s company in a quiet way. It’s all rather boring. She’d have a case of the ‘I want much more than this provincial life’ things like Belle did in Beauty and the Beast. 
> 
> But let’s fast forward to the Yule Ball. Yule ball goes down exactly like it did before, as far as dates go- only this time Ron isn’t angry and distracted on his date with Padma.

 

The Yule Ball is about as awkward as any dance would be for a bunch of teenages. Ron is able to have a somewhat fun, if awkward time, with Padma as his date. He notices his hero Krum has a very pretty date- oh! It’s that Ravenclaw girl he’d seen before. She must be pretty awesome to land someone as cool as Krum! Padma tells him ‘that’s Hermione Granger.’

Later on that year, he’s in the library researching stuff to help Harry with the second task, and he runs into that pretty Ravenclaw girl, Granger was it? He strikes up a conversation with her- he’s trying to help his mate out with this clue and is having a time of it. Tells her he saw she was at the Ball with Krum, which leads to him asking if she’s ever seen him fly. She hasn’t. Quidditch has never much interested her.

‘You’re kidding, right? How could you grow up not liking Quidditch?’  Well she’s muggleborn. ‘Oooh, sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed.’

So they get to talking about pureblood and muggleborn stuff, their own histories, their interests, their experiences of each other’s worlds- and before they know it the library is about to close. Ron’s shocked. He’s never been able to talk to a girl so easily before. They had a good time, and Hermione says she hopes she’ll see him in the library again. He almost laughs and says fat chance- but stops himself. Maybe it would be worth it to go to the library a bit more.

Hermione feels a bit lighter in her step as she goes back to her dormitory. She gets there and Padma notes her mood. ‘Were you with Viktor?’ Hermione is a bit shocked by the question. No she wasn’t- she was with that Ron Weasley boy. She wants to know more about him so quizzes Padma. After all, Padma went on a date with him, and her sister is in Gryffindor with him. 

Padma doesn’t seem to know much at all, and notes he’s not talked much about her sister either, which Hermione secretly doesn’t understand at all.

How could they not be immediately intrigued by that boy? He’d always been rather notorious, along with Harry Potter- their adventures each year were talked about the school. Giant chess sets, flying a car and crashing it into the Whomping Willow, defeating some monster in the basement, helping get that convict a trial. She would have expected Ron Weasley to have a big head after all the heroics, but he didn’t at all. He was so affable and humble and very intriguing.

So from then on Ron and Hermione were definitely on each other’s radars. He would stop by the library a lot more often than he used to, and she would finally have company there much more than she used to. He’d notice her in the hallways, and they’d always acknowledge each other.

That summer she goes to visit Krum, who is her boyfriend, but finds though she likes him quite a lot as a friend, she can’t come to think of him romantically. They just don’t have all that much to talk about. He is disappointed, and she is a bit too- he was the first boy to ever show her attention and make her feel pretty. Her first boyfriend. It ends amicably, though.

She is made prefect, a fact which Padma is a bit cold about, and is very excited when she sees Ron Weasley is the prefect for Gryffindor. She hadn’t even considered who would be prefect from his house, but is so glad it’s him. He gives her that lopsided grin of his when he sees her, and she blushes like she’s never blushed before. What is wrong with her?! They talk after the meeting, and she sees his eyes look a little less sparkly and happy than usual. He invites her to his train compartment, and she decides to say yes given that Padma had her nose out of joint. She meets Harry properly for the first time- they met at the Ball but it was merely perfunctory. Ginny Weasley, Neville, and Luna are there- a strange grabbag of people- but not unpleasant. They’re all rather nice. It’s going smoothly until Luna laughs very loudly at one of Ron’s jokes. By the end of their ride, Hermione’s fairly certain the younger Ravenclaw likes Ron, and for some reason that irks her terribly.

A few weeks into term she runs into Ron as she’s coming from the library. He has his broom and is looking out of sorts. She asks him what’s going on, as Ron, who is usually so happy, is looking quite forlorn. He confides in her about his Quidditch woes, and she patiently listens. She doesn’t know anything about Quidditch, but maybe he would like company on the pitch? She could read in the stands. He reluctantly accepts.

Hermione finds it’s hard to concentrate on a book when he’s flying around up there, the blur of his red hair in her periphery is quite the distraction. She asks if he’d like her to charm a quaffle to fly at him, and he is very on board for that. They have a good time, and by the end he’s looking miles better in mood. As they walk back to the castle they talk about all sorts of things when she asks how Harry is doing, given what happened last year. Ron is uncharacteristically tight lipped, about this and where exactly he was that summer. He flips the topic to her summer- and she tells him about her and Krum and how they aren’t together anymore.

Ron isn’t sure why, but he feels elated to hear she’s not with Krum. Well, why should he care one way or the other? It’s just Hermione, the pretty, kind, smart Ravenclaw. What is she to him? His good mood about the Krum news helps him through his Quidditch worries a bit.

Hermione sees that poor Ron is still having a lot of trouble with Quidditch, and before the game Luna is dressed as a Lion, and Hermione charmed her scarf red to support their team as well. Hermione sees the Weasley is our King badges and distracts him with a kiss. The kiss is as much for herself as him though. She wasn’t sure when she decided she wanted to kiss Ron, but she has to admit- she likes Ron Weasley quite a lot, and as much more than just a friend. He does so poorly during the game, but Hermione doesn’t care. He kept trying, even after all those nasty students mocked him. On top of Ron being miserable about Quidditch, their DADA teacher is the devil.

Ron’s in the library with Hermione as Harry is in detention, and Ron tells her the torture Harry is putting up with. She tells him to get some murtlap essence to treat Harry- and they start talking about Umbridge. Ron’s ranting about how Harry could teach that class blindfolded and Hermione realizes ‘Why don’t we have him teach us then?’ The idea of the DA is formed. Harry takes some convincing, but eventually he caves. Cho Chang wants to bring Marietta Edgecomb, and Hermione convinces her not to as the weak girl would be put in a bad situation, and it was just asking for trouble.

Ron likes the DA as he gets another reason to spend more time with Hermione. Harry pokes Ron to get a bit of intel on Cho from Hermione- which gives him even more time with her. Now that he’s seeing Harry and Cho doing their thing, he starts to consider himself and Hermione. They’ve gotten really close- far closer than Harry and Cho- and Ron can’t deny he thinks she’s very pretty. In fact, Ron has to admit- he thinks he may like her much more than a friend. Ron finds he’s suddenly nervous to be around her. She gave him a kiss before the Quidditch match… did that mean maybe she liked him as more than a friend? He doesn’t have much time to dwell on it because things are very hectic that Christmas, and his father almost dies.

When they get back from break Hermione notes how very stressed Ron is. He decides fuck what the order says, and starts telling her stuff- all sorts of stuff- from his adventures and what’s happening- nothing that could hurt the order of course- but he can’t hold it all in from her. She is touched he feels he can trust her so well. They are getting closer and closer in the next few weeks- and Ron casually mentions that Harry and Cho are going to Hogsmeade together, so he’ll be alone. She says she’ll be alone too- maybe they can just go together? They don’t really think of it as a date, until everyone around them starts asking them ‘is it a date?’

Maybe it is? Oh god. Maybe it is! So the two of them are both freaking out as they choose outfits for their outing. When they finally meet up they are both so nervous that they barely talk at first- then they pass by Madam Puddifoot’s and see the awkwardness that is Harry and Cho’s date- she’s crying- probably over Diggory again- and that makes Ron and Hermione feel a lot better about their time. They might have not been able to talk normally for a bit, but at least neither one of them are sobbing on their date.

Ron gets his nerves together and asks her ‘so, is this a date, then?’

‘Do you want it to be one?’

He thinks for a moment, not sure if he should say yes or not and ruin whatever this is between them- but decides to take a chance- after all, if he said no that might end things between them altogether.

‘Yeah… Yeah I think it’d be nice if this were a date.’

They both smile at each other.

‘I think it’d be nice if this were a date too.’

It starts to rain, but neither Ron nor Hermione notice it much as they hold hands and find their way to the Three Broomsticks to continue what is now officially a date. When they’re back at the castle Hermione gives Ron a quick peck on the lips, and the two of them are elated as they each go back to their dorms.

Ron listens to Harry tell him about his horrible date and how Cho got mad at him for shutting down the conversation about Diggory- and it takes everything in his willpower not to smile through the rant, because all he can think of is the perfect date he had with Hermione.

Hermione and Ron continue to slowly and tenderly explore being a bit more ‘romantic’ the next few weeks, and finally Hermione asks ‘So are you my boyfriend now?’

‘Do you want me to be your boyfriend?’

Hermione smiles at him, remembering their first date.

‘Yes. I think it’d be nice if you were my boyfriend.’

‘I think it’d be nice too.’

Everything goes much the same that year, only the DA never get caught, and Dumbledore never has to leave the school. Ron finally turns around his Quidditch, and she’s there to cheer him on and gives him a huge kiss when he wins them the cup.

Ron is a lot more confident having Hermione at his side like this, and Hermione is as well. The two of them would be a lot more peaceful than the canon timeline, and it would make it that much easier for Harry to accept Hermione into their friend group, given how helpful she seems to be, and how happy she makes Ron.

Ron couldn’t be happier, even though there’s a war looming. Hermione feels the same way.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Speculation on what would have been different 1st-3rd year:
> 
> *So Gryffindors spend very little time with Ravenclaws, in general. Their schedules rarely seem to match up, that I can recall. Harry barely mentions the Ravenclaws in his class at all. When would they have met? Would they have met on the train? Or would a Ravenclaw Hermione be more shy and not barge into Ron and Harry’s compartment?
> 
> I’m going under the assumption that Ravenclaw Hermione would have helped Neville with his toad, but would not have been as brave about approaching people and bossing them- so she would have flown right under the radar of Ron and Harry as just some random girl asking about a toad. I also imagine she would remain friends with Neville.
> 
> In some ways Ravenclaw would help to be less dogmatic in her thinking- so I think it might help soften her up a bit. Hermione’s fiery spirit is wonderful- but it can also cause issues for her when it comes to relating to others- so Ravenclaw would help her to be more understanding and open minded.
> 
> Ron would get on much as he always had- only he’d have to buckle himself down to do his studies- and he’d probably be a bit closer to Dean and Seamus because he’d have more time with no one to hang out with (what with Harry doing quidditch, lessons with Remus, and then the Triwizard Cup.)
> 
> Ron would never have interacted with Hermione- so no troll incident. Then the challenges they faced in book 1 would either have to be different- or our boys would have basically died without Dumbledore’s interference. Second year they would not have known what was in the pipes, most likely- so again either Harry would have to spill the beans to Dumbledore about the snake business and Dumbledore puts it together- or perhaps Ginny was able to tell them about the diary and they all went to Dumbledore in time. Third year would be wildly different- there’d be no Crookshanks to help Sirius, so who knows- maybe with him going about it a different way it could go better (or horribly worse.) I like to pretend this AU would go better, just because I love Sirius. Maybe he’d try to contact Remus, or Remus would see Peter on the map… I like an AU where Sirius gets to have a trial and be free. 
> 
> SO! This brings us up to 4th year. Harry and Ron would have their spat, but Ron would mend that fence and all is well.


	3. Genderswapped Romione

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I love the idea of genderbend romione, do you have some headcanons about that? n.n"
> 
> So here is a headcanon for a world where only Ron and Hermione are genderswapped (and straight)- everyone else is the same as they ever were.

 

 

In first year Hermes doesn’t know what to make of Veronica Weasley- a girl who’s so sloppy, boyish, and ready to throw down at the drop of a hat. But there’s something disarming, genuine, and kind about her that he can’t help but be drawn in. This of course goes poorly for him- as every time he’s trying to help her by correcting her spellwork, or telling her off so she won’t lose them more house points- she takes it as a personal offense. But her and Harry saving him from a troll really turns things around and they end up being good friends. He still gets teased for being a fussbudget, but they genuinely get on better than he ever thought they could. It’s nice having two good friends, as Hermes hasn’t had real friends his whole life, to be honest.

There are ups and downs to their relationship-The two of them are always there to defend the other though (and Harry of course!) Third year was especially hard on Hermes with all the fallouts he had with the other two and his wonky schedule. One night when Hermes is particularly overtaxed Ronnie tucks him in with a blanket and Hermes mumbles out something along the lines of ‘Ronica, you’re th’ prettiest girl…’ He fully wakes up horrified that he’s said this out loud, but Ronnie just excuses it as he’s obviously daffy from lack of sleep.

Fourth year comes with a whole new set of issues, as Ronnie is long-legged as ever- but somehow even prettier than she was the year before. Hermes isn’t sure if this is a personal bias, or if this is an empirical truth- so tests the water with Harry- ‘She’s… She’s a lot prettier than last year, right?’

Harry hadn’t really thought on it. He looks over at Ronnie as she gives a great stretch, and both blushingly look away from their friend and the assets she seemingly grew overnight. They don’t say anything on it, thank god, and Hermes decides right then he’d rather never talk about girls again.

But girls seem to be everywhere in the castle, especially one part-Veela one who makes him act an utter fool. Ronnie seems particularly angry when this happens- and he’s mortified that someone as logical as himself is able to be so befuddled by women anymore.

Harry’s always been a touch closer with Ronnie, as they have so much in common- but suddenly the two of them being close makes Hermes feel something strange and dark deep within himself. After the first task of the Triwizard tournament the two of them are getting even closer- and it culminates with the Harry asking Veronica out to the Yule Ball.

‘You don’t mean it romantically, though, do you?’ Hermes finally asks after thinking about it for a good five hours straight.

‘I dunno. I hadn’t, but… I guess there wouldn’t be anything wrong with it. It makes sense. We have so much in common and everything, and like you said, she’s gotten really pretty,” Harry says with a shrug.

Hermes curses the day he noted how pretty Ronnie was to Harry. She was ALWAYS pretty to Hermes! Hermes is in a snit and moping by the fire when Ginny comes up and asks what’s wrong- at first Hermes wants to deny anything being wrong, but then he contents himself with complaining about how everyone has a date to the Yule Ball.

‘And Harry has Ronnie, and I have no one…’

Ginny nods in sympathy. ‘I didn’t know that they were going to be going on a date.’

‘Oh, it’s more than a date to the ball!’ Hermes declares. ‘Harry said he might even date her!’

‘What?!’ Ginny lets out. Hermes feels guilty. He knew that she had fancied Harry at one point.

‘I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have told you like that… Hey, I just had an idea. Want to be my date to the Ball? Not romantic. Just friends.’

She is happy to accept-

Come the Yule Ball Ronnie looks beautiful, even though she’s having a great deal of trouble walking in heels, and Hermes and Ginny have an alright time, despite how they are grumpily dancing all too close to the pair of people they like. Neville borrows Ginny for a bit, then some boy named Michael, and Hermes is content to sneakily follow Ron and Harry as the two of them go outside.

‘Whoever invented heels is a right wanker. How come I have to where these, and you get to dress in normal shoes and robes,” Ronnie complains. She and Harry are talking about all sorts of things when to Hermes’s horror, Harry leans in and kisses Ronnie! She doesn’t slap him. In fact she kisses him back!

Hermes’s heart is in shambles. Of course, it makes sense. Why would she want someone as bookish, cold and absolutely boring as Hermes Granger. Who wouldn’t want Harry. Heart broken he returns to the ball. He continues through the motions, but sees Harry and Ronnie come back still having a grande old time.

The two admit to Hermes the next day they’re an item- and Hermes has to force himself to smile at them and act as if it’s fine. It hurts, but he’ll get over it. Ginny is sympathetic to him, and he decides to spend a bit more time with her and Neville to avoid the new couple, and not be a third wheel. Ginny decided to move on and date a new boy- Michael. Hermes would do the same, but he honestly doesn’t know any girl who would be interested in the likes of him. His heart is even further broken when the ‘Thing Harry would miss most’ ends up being Ron!

But to his, and everybody’s shock, the new couple ends up fizzling out within a few months, and without much buildup they confess they’re breaking up.

‘We thought it should work- but… feh. Sorry, mate!’ Ronnie says, giving Harry a slap on the back. He smiles broadly back. And it’s as if it never happened. Hermes doesn’t quite understand. The two were practically meant for one another! The two were both into quidditch, laughed at the same jokes, enjoyed the same subjects- they were practically the same person! If they couldn’t make it work, how could Hermes ever hope to make it work between him and Veronica?

By fifth year Hermes can’t stop thinking of the fiery redhead, her temper, her smile, her swearing, her long legs, her flashing blue eyes etc but he trudges on. He’s so happy she’s the other prefect and the two of them have a good time doing prefect rounds. Things are going well between them. He’s not sure, but he thinks she might genuinely like him back. She blushed so prettily when he complimented her spell work the other day, and he’d gone out of his way to be extra gentlemanly to her.

That Valentine’s day he’s already arranged an interview for Harry with the Quibbler- but he finally decides to make a move and invites Ronnie to Hogsmeade for the first part of Valentine’s day at least. He makes sure it’s ok with Harry, and Harry happily gives his blessing. Unfortunately Veronica didn’t quite get the memo that he meant it as a date, and gives a sigh when she notes Harry’s on a date with Cho.

‘Do you… miss being with him?’ Hermes manages to let out around the sudden lump in his throat.

“What? Are you kidding? No!” Ronnie laughs. “He’s about as romantic as a barrel of fish. We have a ton of fun together, but kissing him was just… it always felt forced and weird. I dunno…. No I more feel sorry for them both. Like, Harry and Cho? That can’t last. She’s a Tornadoes fan!”

“Well if a couple can’t last because of differing quidditch team favorites, Hypothetically how could a couple last if only one of them cares about quidditch and the other doesn’t?” Hermes asks, hoping he’s not being too obvious.

“It’s not that she’s into the Tornadoes and he’s not… It’s that she’s all temporary and he’s all long-haul? I’ll put it this way, Harry needs someone who can be steady and there through everything, because Harry has been through hell and will be through more hell by the end of everything- and Cho’s not a ride or die kind of girl. She’s a ‘Tornadoes’ kind of girl.”

“Well… What about you then?” Hermes pushes. “What do you want that you didn’t get with Harry?”

“Shit, I don’t know,” she says unhelpfully.

“Well there must have been a reason. After all you broke up rather quickly.”

“I mean, Harry is ride or die- so that’s super important- and he’s really brave… I guess if I were looking for what he isn’t… More thoughtful would be nice. Smart. And a bit more passionate with me? Less yelly and more… sweet? Makes me feel like a girl some of the time and not always one of the boys? Plus, I’m almost taller than him… Granted, I’m so tall it’s a problem for most boys,” Ronnie says stretching out her long legs, making Hermes gulp. 

“What about you, Hermes? Any girls you’re interested in?” Ronnie says, looking at him seriously.

“Well, I asked one girl out, but I don’t think she’d be interested in me.”

“What, Ginny?” Ronnie asks with a snort before sobering up and looking at him sympathetically. “Yeah… I think she still fancies Harry… Felt a bit like a crap sister to her, but what can you do…”

“It’s not Ginny.” Hermes’s mouth is dry.

“Then who?”

Hermes considers confessing to Ronnie the crush he’s been housing for well over a year, but he just can’t bring himself to do it.

“Uh… Never mind. Don’t worry about me. I’m fairly certain I’m going to be single the rest of my life,” Hermes says, trying to sound nonchalant- but knowing he must sound quite bitter. 

Just then, Rita Skeeter walks through the door, and all thoughts romantic or otherwise are put aside as Hermes and Ronnie go to greet the horrid woman. She’s said quite a few disparaging things in the paper about Ronnie’s looks, and Hermes’s personality that neither was keen to forget. Luna is there too, looking as strange and airy as usual.

After the interview, Luna and the trio go back to the castle together.

“How was your date, Harry?” Ronnie asks. Harry’s face crumples at the thought of it and describes the worst date ever. Harry made the tremendous mistake of telling Cho he was meeting Ronnie at the Three Broomsticks.

“I told her I was meeting Hermes too- but she didn’t seem to care at that point…”

“Well… Sounds like the worst date ever. Sorry mate,” Ronnie says with a punch, looking guilty.

“How about you two?” Harry asks, looking smug at Ron and Hermes.

“Their date seemed to be very cozy,” Luna supplies.

“It wasn’t a date,” Hermes says with finality, hoping Harry gets the message and drops it. Ronnie looks up at them confused.

“But I thought…” Harry looks to Hermes and then seems to understand. “Oh.. oK…”

The rest of the journey to the castle Hermes is completely silent. Later that night Harry asks him if he’s ok– and Hermes lies and says yes. Harry doesn’t look convinced but Hermes doesn’t care. Harry doesn’t push, of course, because he never pushes- and Hermes is able to fall into fitful sleep.

The next few prefect patrols he has with Ronnie are awkward, and he knows it’s all his own fault. He just can’t fall back into his normal playful banter with Ronnie right now. She’s trying really hard to make conversation with him, but he’s unreceptive.

Finally Ronnie gets fed up with Hermes’s bad mood and calls him out.

“Why are you being such a moody arse?!” she lets out in the hallway.

“I’m not–” Hermes tries to protest- but he knows it’s true. He is being unfair to Ronnie. She didn’t do anything at all to him. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I… I don’t have a good excuse.”

“And you’re apologizing to me! You never do that!” Ronnie says looking still just as put out.

Hermes decides to go with it and get back to their dynamic of squabbles. So what if Veronica doesn’t think of him in a romantic way? It’s fine. He has a great friend. Things are chugging along fine when Harry starts noticing Ginny a bit, and Hermes is quite pleased. Ronnie ships the two of the them hardcore, and tells Hermes she’s encouraging Ginny to stay single a bit when she’s done with Michael so perhaps this can pan out. Hermes is all for it. He might not be able to be with Ronnie, but he’d love for Ginny and Harry to be an item.

A lot goes down at the ministry of magic- Sirius dies, Harry is beyond mourning, and Hermes and Ronnie nearly died. Ronnie is highly insecure about the number of  scars working their way up her arms, but doesn’t want to talk about it.

Fifth year is nearly over- when Hermes comes across Ronnie holding hands with Dean. They see Hermes, and Dean makes an awkward cough and leaves, leaving behind the two friends.

‘So are you and Dean..?’

‘No…?” Ronnie says with a shrug. Her sleeves are rolled up. ‘He was drawing me and said my scars were pretty, and I just… I dunno… Being a teenager is weird.’

‘I think your scars are pretty too,’ Hermes says. ‘Every bit of you, really…’

‘You… you do?’ Ronnie says, cheeks aflame.

‘Of course I do. You’re the prettiest girl I know,” Hermes says with a shrug.

“No I’m not. Even my little sister is prettier than me. I’m gangly and too tall and flat and–”

“I like you just the way you are. You’re beautiful.”

“Did the death eaters hit you with a spell to the head?”

“No!” Hermes says with a laugh.

“Cool. Had to make sure,” Ronnie says with a shrug.

They sit by the fire waiting for Harry to come back from wherever it is he’s been, when Ronnie turns to Hermes and apropos of nothing asks:

“Did you ask me on a real date on Valentine’s day?”

Hermes is caught. Hermes could avoid the question rather easily if he wanted. He could do all sorts of things if he wanted. But in this moment, with her blue eyes piercing his the way they are, he can’t help but blurt out: “Yes.”

He winces and closes his eyes, dreading whatever is to come. But then he feels her lips on his. Their kiss goes from chaste to intensely passionate so fast it’s like magic, and if it weren’t for the sound of the portrait hole opening Hermes isn’t sure they would have stopped.

Harry comes in and looks between the two of them a long moment before a grin breaks out on his face.

‘So when’d this happen?’

‘About three minutes ago, fuck off Harry,” Ronnie says throwing a pillow at their friend with a grin.

‘I’ll leave you to it then!’ he snickers before going up to their dorm.

‘Do you think he’s ok?’ Hermes asks.

‘Mate, he’s fine,’ Ronnie says kissing Hermes again. Hermes interrupts them a few more times to make sure of things- but in the end he’s rather reassured. They are happy together, finally, and Hermes has never felt happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They are dating from then on- Ronnie is passionate and filled with charisma, while she assures Hermes he has a ‘quiet smolder’ he didn’t know he could possess. Sixth year is a nice year for them. Less bickering, as they can just end a bicker with a kiss- she’s been able to bring out the softness in Hermes, and he’s been able to bring out some confidence in Ronnie. Harry and Ginny get together some time around November, and so they are both quite coupley that year.
> 
> The Horcrux hunt, though, is quite hard on them. Ronnie is terribly splinched, and Hermes is certain she’ll hate him for disfiguring her like this- and the horcrux keeps telling him she doesn’t love him- she loves Harry. And Harry must love her too. He broke up with Ginny, and they don’t want Hermes around at all- he’s just a boring know-it-all - and so the Horcrux finally does its due- but this time it’s Hermes it is able to drive away. 
> 
> Eventually Ronnie hears her name coming from the deluminator and is able to get Hermes and bring him back into the fold- and this time Hermes has knowledge of the taboo and snatchers.   
> The rest of the timeline is slightly different- but it stays mostly the same. Ronnie would love Hermes forever- and they’d have the same career tracks as before. Auror and Law Maker, each a little stunned that someone as amazing as the other loves them so deeply.


	4. A Million Reasons to Kiss You- f/f Romione

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Au headcanons romione but Ron is a girl but Hermione is still a girl"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this has bi Veronica (Ronnie) struggling with coming to terms with her sexuality- as well as her feelings for Hermione. There is some internalized biphobia in this- which I am very familiar with, given how I went through the same thing. :P Also, remember this is set in 1996- so it's not as 'out and proud' as today's youth culture.

Quidditch practice hadn’t gone well. Ronnie was aching all over, had let her nerves get to her, and felt about as useless as a tutu on a frog. She’d done alright last year! She flew great at home! She even outdid that wanker McLaggen at tryouts! Why did she have to be so stupidly inconsistent?

It didn’t help that she’d been having trouble sleeping lately. It went beyond worries about Quidditch, the impending war, her family, and poor Harry- it was worries about romance; which made her feel even worse since it was silly to let something that dumb be a bigger distraction that everything else.

She couldn’t help it though! For weeks she’d been concerned about it, and she didn’t know what to do with herself. Ronnie had been attracted to a fair few boys. At least she thought so. Dean was awfully good looking, and had drawn her and said her scars from the department of mysteries were pretty. And Harry she’d dated for a little bit back in fifth year. It made sense, right? He and she were so alike. That spark hadn’t been there, so they ended ‘the great experiment,’ as she called it, fairly quickly. That and she was feeling like a crap sister, since she knew Ginny had fancied him.

Beyond the boys though, she had also noticed a few of the girls who were good looking as well. It was an odd sort of feeling, but she thought she might like both, and the prospect of it scared her. She didn’t know any women who liked other women, and was worried something had to be wrong with her. Maybe the chess match their first year had hurt her brain, or that spell Pettigrew had done on her in third year, or the brains at the end of the year. She had fancied boys too, not just girls, such as a certain pretty brunette who chased her about in her dreams.

Hermione… Ronnie looked across the fireplace at her. She was the loveliest girl of them all. Ronnie was drying out from their miserable rainy practice, and Harry had just turned in, giving Ronnie plenty of time to stare at her best friend. Hermione was working on some essay or another for arithmancy, and had her brows furrowed as they always did when she was concentrating. She also had the cutest habit of biting her lip, which Ron found more and more distracting with each passing month. She’d been in deep denial about how much she liked Hermione for some time, but finally had come to terms with it some time last year. The excuses she gave herself seemed a bit silly now, with her fully smitten as she was.

They were just close because they were best friends! They would sit for hours in bed talking about everything under the sun, sides of their legs touching, and it was just the same as any other relationship Ronnie’d seen with other girls. She’d wanted to punch Krum the moment he showed interest in Hermione because she was so fiercely protective of her good friend. She wanted to kiss her and run her fingers through Hermione’s wild curls because… Well there was no way to deny that particular imagery wasn’t exactly ‘friendly.’

“Well, I think I’m almost done. Want to head up with me?” Hermione asked, startling Ronnie out of her thoughts.

“I… I dunno. I think I might stay down here a bit longer…” Ronnie replied, not sure she could handle Hermione in her adorable pajamas right now, with where her thoughts were.

“Are you feeling alright? You look flushed!” Hermione said, leaning over to put a hand to Ronnie’s cheeks.

“I’m probably just too warm from the fire.”

“Then maybe you should head up with me?”

Unable to think of a good excuse, Ronnie complied. She stalled in the shower for a long time. If she stayed there long enough perhaps Hermione would already be asleep, and she could avoid her til they were all in their formless black robes.

* * *

A week later and Ronnie was certain she was going to murder her little sister. She’d been making fun of her Keeper skills all through practice, and Ronnie couldn’t deal with her sister a moment longer. She didn’t want to see anyone, so stayed at the pitch long after everyone else had gone back to the tower. Ronnie finally dragged herself up to the castle, and got to the Fat Lady’s portrait minutes before curfew. The common room was mostly empty, and Harry and Hermione were nowhere to be found, but she decided to stay beside the fire until it was almost midnight, she was so grumpy.

The dorm was dark, and she could hear the soft breathing coming from a few curtains. She changed in the dark and slid into bed, but she could just make out the light coming from between Hermione’s curtains.

“Oi, Hermione!” Ronnie whispered at her, smiling fondly. She was the only person who could cheer her up now. “You need to sleep some time!”

Hermione’s head popped out from between her curtains. Ronnie could just see the book’s cover. She had been reading one of her ‘smutty books’ that she kept hidden at the bottom of her trunk. Ronnie was the only person who knew about it, and Hermione had sworn her to secrecy.

“I can’t read this any other time though!” Hermione whispered back.

“You could just spell the cover to look like something boring. You read enough boring books no one would know the difference.”

Hermione had grown tired of leaning out the bed apparently, because she quickly gestured Ronnie over to her bed.

“Budge over,” Ronnie said as she nestled in with practiced ease, and cast a Muffliato on Parvati and Lavender so she could talk a bit more freely. Hermione looked cross, as she did with anything related to the Half-Blood Prince book, but Ronnie wasn’t going to turn down a good charm because of a cross look from Hermione. Half the time she like the cross looks, as Hermione looked adorable when she pouted.

“I can’t read this book just anywhere,”Hermione said, turning back to the topic at hand. Smutty books. “Because if someone read the pages they’d know it’s a romance novel!”

“When is the last time anyone asked to look at the pages of a book you were reading!” Ronnie laughed.

“Last year Ernie MacMillan asked about a runes book I was reading!”

“Ernie MacMillan is a pompous tosser. Of course he would ask.”

“Asking about books isn’t pompous,” Hermione said, looking a touch hurt. She always was a bit touchy about her brainy tendencies being poked at.

“Oh I know, I’m just being a cross tosser myself,” Ronnie quickly said, not wanting to see Hermione look down. “I just don’t want you staying up until three in the morning to find out if ‘ _Rodrigo’s large girth penetrates Juliet’s quivering femininity._ ’”

“Well… Er, this one doesn’t have a ‘Rodrigo’ in it per se.”

“What, he named Humperdrink or something else instead,” Ronnie said grabbing the book.

“No… She’s named–”

“She?”

“Yes. It’s two girls, well, women in this one.”

Ronnie blushed and her mouth hung open as she stared at the book in her hand.

“They… They put that in books?”

“Of course they do!” Hermione said with a roll of her eyes. “Well, they’re not as easy to find, but they’re out there.”

“So…” Ronnie said, wheels in her head turning. “You had to look for this then?”

“Oh! W-well, I don’t know about that.” Hermione began to play with a curl of her hair. “They have a lot of books at this bookshop down the way from my house- and I happened to come across it in the paperback section, and I bought it not entirely knowing what it was…”

Ronnie was eyeing the back of the book. It seemed to be pretty clear what the book was. They’d written an enticing summary right on the back that made it clear there were no heroes in this book- just heroines.

“It’s ok if you knew,” Ronnie said, looking at this book with more interest than she ever had a book in her life. Harry could keep his potions tutor book for all she cared, there was a book about romance between girls in it. “Can I borrow it when you’re done?”

She quickly realized her mistake when Hermione’s brows shot up. She’d never asked to borrow a book for fun in her life.

“I… I’ve already read it, actually.” Hermione said, biting her lip.

“So it’s good then.”

“I liked it a lot, yes.”

“Well, when you finish it for a second time, I’d like to borrow it.”

“Are you sure?” Hermione asked. “It’s two women… You know… In a romance.”

“Yeah.”

“There are still racy scenes in it.”

“I think I’ll be able to cope if you could,” Ronnie said with a roll of her eyes. She stopped to think a moment. Perhaps Hermione would know a bit more about this whole ‘liking girls’ thing. She’d read books about it, after all. Well, one book at least.

“If you like, you can borrow it now.”

“No no… You finish your reread. I can wait,” Ronnie said, though she desperately wanted to read it, she didn’t want to seem too eager.

“Well… if you insist. I better get reading then,” Hermione smiled at Ronnie, who took that as her cue to get to her own bed.

“As long as you don’t stay up too late! Reading in a dimly lit four poster? You’ll make your eyesight as bad as Harry’s!”

“A little eye strain never killed anyone!”

“Night Hermione.”

“Night Ronnie.”

* * *

Ronnie had never known Hermione to be a particularly slow reader, but it felt like she was taking FOREVER to get finished with the romance book. Ronnie didn’t dare ask about it, for fear of it making her look too obvious, even though weeks had passed. Hermione had been at a bunch of those blasted Slug Club meetings, that Ronnie had not scored an invite to, and Harry was having lessons with Dumbledore- leaving Ronnie a bit lonely at times.

Fall had approached, and the first Hogsmeade visit was the next day. They sat in Hermione’s bed making plans for it when Hermione reached in her bedside table and retrieved the book.

“I finished this last night, if you still want to borrow it.”

“Er… Yeah. Yeah, I will, thanks,” Ronnie said, trying not to show her enthusiasm. “So can you tell me a bit about the book? Do the girls… only romance each other, or were there guys too.”

“Well, the only main romance is between the women. I’ve read another though where there was a love triangle where a girl had to choose between a boy and a girl.”

“That’s a thing then?” Ronnie said, feeling a burst of excitement, relief almost spilling over as she waited to hear.

“Love triangles?” Hermione asked.

“No! Girls liking both boys and girls.”

“Of course it’s a thing,” Hermione scoffed a bit, looking away from Ronnie.

“It’s not thought of as strange?”

“Well… I won’t say that. Not everyone is nice about it, but things are changing in the Muggle World at least. I don’t know what it’s like in the Wizarding World really.”

“Honestly, I don’t know either…” That’s what scared her really. She didn’t know anyone like her.

“Do you think it’s strange for a girl to like girls?” Hermione suddenly asked her.

“I don’t know… I mean. It doesn’t feel like it should matter… but no one else is doing it, so I don’t know what to think.”

Hermione seemed to deflate at this, for some reason.

“If… If a girl you knew liked girls, would you think poorly of her?” Ronnie asked, breath bated as she looked down at her knees.

“Of course I wouldn’t!” Hermione declared, bold as brass. Ronnie felt deep relief pooling within her, but it was quickly met with fear as Hermione squared her shoulders as she always did before a lecture. “And you shouldn’t either! People love who they love, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I know you can be old fashioned, but there is no place for that sort of attitude! There was this one film last year, The Bird Cage. It’s about two men who are together, but it’s the same thing.  I support gay rights, and you should too! My mum and dad took me to see it and it was lovely, and I can’t have one of my best friends things poorly of gays and lesbians and everyone else!”

“I don’t think poorly of them, though!” Ronnie declared, angry at the implication.

“Well the way you were asking if it was strange and if I’d think poorly of someone if they did sure made it sound like you didn’t like the idea of it!”

“I wanted to know because–” Ronnie stopped herself short.

“Why?” Hermione said, looking at the book between them, then back up to Ronnie.

“I– I might…” Could she really tell any of this to Hermione?  It was one thing to make speeches about it when they were strangers, but would she feel so cozy about gays when she found out her friend was one of them? Would Hermione figure out she had a crush on her and then find Ronnie disgusting? It was frightening to say it to your own crush and best friend of six years.

“Just say it!”

“I like girls, ok!” Ronnie let out before slapping her hands to her mouth, and closing her eyes tight. She couldn’t believe she’d said it. She’d said it! It was oddly relieving after a few years of it bouncing around in her skull, but she also was afraid to so much as look at Hermione. She braced herself to be thrown out of the bed, or hear Hermione start laughing at her. Nothing happened though. Nothing was said. Instead one of Hermione’s cool hands went to Ronnie’s and pride them from her mouth.

“Ronnie, it’s ok,” she said pulling Ronnie’s hand to her side.

Ronnie shook her head.

“It is!” Hermione said holding her hand tight. “You’re not the only one in the school!”

“I like boys too sometimes,” Ronnie said weakly.

“You’re not the only bisexual in the school either.”

“A what?”

“A person who likes both.”

“There’s a word for it!” Ronnie said with a smile. “Oh god, of course you would know the name for it. You know everything. I should have said something sooner.”

“Well…” Hermione said suddenly looking uncertain. “A-a lot of people are afraid to c-come out of the closet, so it’s… It’s only natural to want to keep it to yourself.”

“’Come out of the closet?’ Is there some sort of gay Muggle ritual around this?”

“No! Nothing like that!” Hermione laughed, giving Ronnie a friendly nudge in the arm, before sobering up. “Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me.”

“Yeah… I don’t know that I actually meant to say it, but I’m glad I have now,” Ronnie said with a sigh. “You’re… You’re ok with it, right?”

Hermione blushed, but she squeezed Ronnie’s hands in hers and looked her square in the eye before saying, “I’m very ok with it.”

“Cool, cause I’ve been dying to read this romance novel for weeks, and didn’t want to say anything!”

The two of them giggled and spent the rest of the night at ease.

* * *

“Bisexual?” Harry asked. They were at the Three Broomsticks, and Hermione had convinced Ronnie to come out to Harry. They had their own booth and had put up a spell so no one could hear them.

“Yeah… Do you know what that is?” Ronnie said, looking to Hermione for guidance.

“Well yeah. So you think that’s what you are?”

“Yeah.”

“Well that’s convenient,” Harry said, smiling and looking at Hermione who promptly kicked him under the table. “OUCH!”

“Seems to be more confusing than anything, but as long as you aren’t weirded out by me for it…” Ronnie said, weaving her fingers so tightly the joints were beginning to ache.

“Not at all,” Harry beamed, lifting his glass before making the oddest toast Ronnie could ever think of. “To all the bisexual women in my life!”

Hermione frowned at Harry, but schooled her face into a smile as soon as she noticed Ron looking at her.

“Yeah… to me, I guess” Ronnie said, holding up her glass, and pulling at face at how weird her friends were being.

* * *

The Hogsmeade trip went on somewhat pleasantly, though Harry get blathering on about Ginny this and Ginny that. Ronnie wasn’t certain, but it seemed Harry might have cottoned on to how great Ginny was. It was a shame she was already dating Dean. The Hogsmeade trip ended horribly, though, with Katie Bell twitching on the ground and being carted off to St Mungo’s. The trio had sat talking for hours about who was possibly behind the heinous act, but it was all for naught because nothing was really solved. The next few weeks brough with them another mystery that Ronnie found much more perplexing and worrisome.

Hermione had been acting very distant around Ronnie, and she just knew that it was because of the whole ‘bisexual’ thing. Ronnie couldn’t begrudge her. Hermione genuinely thought she was ok with it, but maybe Ronnie was just too much for Hermione to handle. They used to join each other in bed every few nights to catch up on things, but lately Hermione hadn’t asked her, and she’d been too afraid to do it either. She wanted to ask Hermione what her problem was, but frankly she didn’t know what she’d do if Hermione didn’t want to be her friend anymore. Sure, she had a huge crush on her and thought she was the most beautiful, lovely person in the entire world- but she could get over heartache. You know. Eventually. She couldn’t get over Hermione not being her friend, though.

They were in Herbology when Hermione started talking that ruddy Slug Club again, with which Ronnie was just about up to her ears with frustration.

“Slug Club. It’s pathetic. Well, I hope you enjoy your party. Why don’t you try hooking up with McLaggen, then Slughorn can make you King and Queen Slug–“

“We’re allowed to bring quests,” said Hermione, who was blushing so red she more resembled an overdone lobster than a human. But then something completely baffling happened, and Hermione turned to Ronnie. “I was going to ask you to come, but if you think it’s that stupid then I won’t bother!”

Ronnie’s mind started zooming. Was this… This couldn’t be a date situation… Not between them. Hermione had never showed any interest in Ronnie that way. She was straight. She was just asking a friend to go to a party.

“I’d like to go with you,” Ronnie said quietly.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Harry was suddenly the noisiest arse in the world and broke his bowl while trying to stab his pod. It was just as well, for Ronnie was sure she’d say something stupid. She’d walked around in the daze the rest of the day, failed miserably at Quidditch again, ran into Ginny snogging Dean. On some level she registered she’d housed a bit of a soft spot for him at one point- but she couldn’t begrudge Ginny that given how Ronnie had briefly dated Harry. She and Ginny had a bit of a row about the snogging (it was quite hot and heavy compared to any of the chaste passionless kisses she’d tried on Harry.) Ginny reacted with the calm of a blast-ended skrewt, ended up letting out a truth-bomb on Hermione having snogged Krum, which was an unpleasant mental image. Harry had been in a snit after it all, though, which was the one thing to bring a smile to Ronnie’s face that night.

“Are you ok?” she asked Harry as they went down the corridor.

“Why would I not be ok?”

“Well you’ve been pretty Ginny obsessed recently, and just had to witness her eating Dean’s face off.”

“I’m– I’m not… I just… It’s brotherly protectiveness.”

“Uh huh,” Ronnie said with a raise of her eyebrow as Harry began to blush. 

“It’s that Weasley charm. You can’t resist us,” Ronnie said with a laugh before punching him in the arm. “I’m all for it! The second you get over your ‘brotherly protection,’ and Dean’s no longer in the picture, snog her. Guarantee you she’ll snog back. Caught her staring at your bum the other day. It was sickening.”

They’d been closer since ‘The Great Experiment,’ and were a little more able to talk about these things with one another.

“What about you with Hermione,“ said Harry. She similarly went red. “You have some ‘sisterly’ protective feelings about her?”

“That’s different,” Ronnie said hastily. “Plus you heard Ginny, Hermione snogged Krum. Heterosexuality confirmed pretty solidly.”

“Hmmm,” Harry said, though he had that look on his face he got when he was keeping a juicy secret.

“Do you know something?”

“I… I don’t know know everything… I have suspicions.”

“Of–?”

“Let’s just say, perhaps you should talk to Hermione and see if that hetero thing is as locked down as you think.”

It was the first good idea she’d heard from Harry in so long she thought they should throw him a parade later.

She entered her Dormitory to find Hermione in bed with the light of a wand shining through a crack in her curtain again. Ronnie gave a soft knock on one of the posts of the bed and Hermione opened the curtain for her.

“Budge over,” Ronnie said as she always did. Hermione was reading another romance, this one with a cover that housed a man and woman dressed in old Scottish highlands garb about to snog. “I have a question about that book I borrowed.”

Hermione looked at Ronnie curiously.

“Why did you choose a book with a lesbian couple in it?”

“Why wouldn’t I? They’re just as valid as any other couple! You don’t need a reason to enjoy romance between two people. Their sexuality should have nothing to do with it,” Hermione said, nose in the air.

“Yeah, fine, you’re right. But do you perhaps… Is it… Could you maybe fancy girls too?”

Ronnie held her breath as Hermione looked at her with wide eyes. Hermione’s mouth opened and closed.

“I don’t fancy girls,” Hermione said, and Ronnie almost felt like crying.

“Oh… So… Ok… So you don’t… Ok, I shouldn’t have assumed,” Ronnie said wanting to escape the bed. “That’s fine… That’s great. Erm, I’m gonna go to–”

Ronnie felt tears forming in her eyes and had to get out of there immediatetly. She practically sprinted for the Common Room, which was blessedly empty of people before she started all out crying.

She should have known! She should have bloody known. It would be fine. It would be. She’d heal up and they could go back to being friends, and it’d be fine, but right now, in this moment, Ronnie needed a good cry.

“Ronnie?” she heard Hermione’s voice from the stairs.

“Go ‘way ‘Mione,” Ronnie said, wiping at her eyes, not wanting her humiliating breakdown to be witnessed.

“Please don’t cry!” Hermione said, sitting beside her.

“I’m fine, I just… I’m fine, Hermione, don’t worry about it. Practice was hard and… It’s fine.”

“You’re not… Why did you start crying when I said I didn’t fancy girls?”

Ronnie couldn’t answer that.

“Because,” Hermione continued, “I only fancy one girl… Not girls. I’ve never noticed any other girl at all, but the one.”

Ronnie looked at Hermione in amazement.  It was too much to hope for. Harry had said something. He must have known Hermione fancied a girl. Could it possibly be Ronnie she fancied?

“Is that Slug Club party invite a date? Or would we be going just as friends?” Ronnie asked.

“Would… Would you be ok if it was a date?” Hermione practically squeaked.

Ronnie smiled so broadly her cheeks began to hurt. “Yeah, it’d be ok if it was a date.”

“Really?” Hermione said, still not looking completely at ease.

“Yes!” Ronnie let out, starting to laugh. “Just to make sure, I’m the one girl you fancy, right?”

“Y-yes,” Hermione hesitatingly confessed, a shy smile working its way onto her beautiful face.

“I’ve fancied you back for ages,” Ronnie said, putting her hands in Hermione’s. Hermione’s eyes began to cloud with tears, but she was smiling and laughing.

“Oh thank fucking God!” Hermione let out, shocking the both of them.

“Ok, you just cursed. I’m obligated to kiss you now,” Ronnie said leaning across to Hermione, and holding her chin in her hands. She slowed a moment making sure Hermione was ok, but Hermione closed the distance. This wasn’t like the chaste passionless kisses she’d shared with Harry- this was some sort of surreal fulfillment she’d never hoped to dream of. It was like one of those soul exploding kisses. It was casting a Patronus for the first time. It was the first bite of a warm freshly cooked pastry. It was perfection.

“Just for edification, you don’t have to wait for me to curse to kiss me in the future,” Hermione said as they parted.

“Oh, I can think of a million reasons to kiss you,” Ronnie said, kissing her again. 

Over the years, she definitely did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoyed this, or even if you didn't, please review! :)


	5. What if Hermione said yes to Ron for the Yule Ball?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Do you have any headcanons on what would have happened if hermione said yes when Ron asked her to the Yule ball?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this scenario she would have to have not been asked out by Nev or Krum yet- leaving her wide open for Ron’s ask.

The Yule Ball was quick approaching, and no one had asked Hermione as a date yet. She wasn’t entirely surprised, as she’d not exactly garnered a lot of attention like other girls. She was no Fleur Delacour. She did her best to not let this bother her, though. She was quite busy with her studies, thank you very much. That’s what they were all in school for! Not romance, and definitely not some silly ball.

Dinner had been a lonely affair, with both Harry and Ron missing. It was just as well, she was still getting used to her new teeth and was a bit sloppier than usual as she ate her meal. She hadn’t ever indulged in much of the shallower things in life, but couldn’t help running her tongue over her now very even teeth and feel a satisfied smile warm her all the way to the common room.

She found Ron and Harry sitting by the fireplace with Ginny, both looking rather glum.

“Why weren’t you two at dinner?”

“They’ve both been turned down by the girls they asked to the Yule Ball.”

“Thanks a bunch, Ginny,” said Ron sourly.

“All the good-looking one taken, Ron?” said Hermione loftily, thinking back to his comments about avoiding going to the ball with a troll. “Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well I’m sure you’ll find someone somewhere who’ll have you.”

Ron didn’t give a retort. Instead gave her a long hard look, as if working out some sort of problem, before his eyebrows lifted into his fringe.

“Hermione… You’re a girl!”

“Oh well spotted!” She wanted to punch him. She really did. Right on his long freckled nose.

“Well– you can come to the ball with one of us!”

Hermione wasn’t sure how to react. She had, in her most private of thoughts, hoped she’d get to go to the ball with someone. She had considered putting forth the idea to Ron, but didn’t dare do the humiliating task herself. For once she had wanted one of those silly traditional boy-girl teenage moments for herself- and to be asked out by a boy–  but now, presented like this, it felt a bit hollow.

“I… I suppose that makes sense… Who would go with who?” she said, looking between Harry and Ron. She wanted Ron to chose her, and bit her lip in to hold herself back from impatiently claiming Ron for herself.

“You can come with me,” Ron said with a smile, not seeming to see the significance of this at all. Did he not care at all?

“Who says I want to go with you?” she let out. “Just because you finally realized I’m a girl, doesn’t mean I now owe you a date!”

“You can go with Harry if you like,” he said, brows furrowing as he looked between them. Harry was looking on with wide eyes and holding up his hands as he usually did when he sensed tension between them.

“It’s just the principal of it,” Hermione said, crossing her arms. “One person asks another out, not… not just randomly assigning a girl to be a date out of convenience to whoever is sitting there.”

Ron sat there looking at her for a moment looking like he might begin arguing, but he surprised her by smiling at her.

“Okay okay, Hermione Granger, will you, a girl, go with me, a boy, to the ball. That do? Will you come now?”

She could feel her cheeks begin to flush.

“Well… Well alright then. Since you asked properly.”

“Great!” he said with an easy smile. “I can go with Hermione, and Ginny you can go with Harry.”

Ginny blushed down to her roots, and looked away from them all.

“Alright then? We all have dates?” Ron asked the group.

They all nodded.

It wasn’t the ask Hermione would have wanted or planned on- but she had been asked out to a ball, and it had been Ron who did it.

* * *

Balls were just about the most barmy thing Ron could think of. Everyone had to spend loads on dress robes, a bunch of teens had to ask each other out on dates, and then they’d have to dance in front of everyone else. It sounded like just about the worst time in the world. At least he had a date, though. And it was Hermione, so he didn’t have to make smalltalk with some random girl or have an ugly date. He’d have a pretty date who quite liked. That worked out better than he could have hoped.

She and Ginny had scarpered off after a long snowball fight, saying they needed three hours to get ready for the ball. Three hours seemed an awfully long time to just put on a dress- but Ron probably should have spent more time himself, now that he looked at his own depressing robes. He’d tried a severing charm on the frills- but it didn’t do much to make the robes look less awful.

He glumly sat in a chair waiting for Hermione, when Ginny walked down the stairs looking very nice. She was wearing some old robes of Mum’s though, so even though they were dated, they weren’t as worn and crap as his own.

He hadn’t really meant to do it, but he’d paired Ginny up on a date with her crush pretty well, actually. Ginny was going to make out of this ball better off than most of the teens.

“You look nice,” Harry told Ginny, and she went scarlet but thanked him. Harry then turned to Ron. “Want us to wait with you for Hermione?”

“Naw, meet you down at the ball in a bit.” Ron wanted to put off people seeing his awful robes as long as possible.

The common room wasn’t much better since it was crowded- but at least it was just fellow Gryffindors. The common room was a wash of colors, instead of the usual black robes, and someone with floaty blue robes was standing awfully close to him.

“Ready to go down?”

He looked up and saw the robes were Hermione’s. She was always pretty, but right now she was looking girlish and pretty in a way he’d never seen before. She was standing tall, smiling down at him with an air of confidence and he found his mouth had gone dry. A few people in the common room were staring at her as well, but Ron had to smile, because she wasn’t any of their dates. She was his date.

“Yeah, let’s go down!” he said with enthusiasm. Thoughts of his own tattered robes were quite replaced having her at his side like this. She looked like one of the women from a fairy tale book. Her hair was sleek, which he didn’t like as much, but other than that she was a vision, really.

“You look…” Beautiful. Gorgeous. Pretty. “Really good.”

“Thank you,” she smiled prettily at him.

Ron felt a sort of jittery energy taking hold of him. There was nothing to be nervous about, as it was just Hermione. Maybe he was just hungry.

“Sorry about… About my robes and all… You look great, and I–” Ron couldn’t finish his sentence.

“You look fine,” she said, though they both knew it was a lie. “Maybe I can transfigure it a bit? I’m not great with these sorts of spells, but Parvarti and Lavender helped me a bit taking in my robes and I think I remember the spells.”

“Uh, alright then.”

She did a few spells, and it made his robes look less tattered, then she did a color switching spell to make the robes all the same dark navy color. It helped hide the horrible design of it having it be dark like this.

“Brilliant!” he smiled, doing his best to look at it all in the hallway they were in.

“I know you don’t like maroon,” she said with a shrug.

“I’m glad I can look better for you,” he said, then wanted to curse as his ears burned.

* * *

The Entrance Hall was packed with students waiting for the doors to the ball to be thrown open, but they found Harry and Ginny quick enough. Hermione was quite pleased to she and Harry were actually talking on their own. Ginny had always been rather tongue tied around Harry due to her crush, but perhaps she could make headway on that tonight.

They both made surprised smiles at Ron’s changed robes, which made Hermione happy, but not nearly as happy as the chuffed look on Ron’s face.

They entered the ball, and a ton of people started looking at them. At first she thought it might be because they were with Harry, or because Ron’s eyes were quite striking when he wore blue, but surprisingly a lot of people were staring at her agog.

“Do I have something in my teeth?” she asked Ron.

“Wha?” he looked closely. “No.”

“Hmmm…”

“Why?”

“A lot of people were looking at me.”

“It’s because you look so… fancy” Ron said, before turning pink for about the third time that evening and looking away from her. She was sure she was almost as pink as they found a table.

* * *

Ron had never been so awkward around Hermione in his life. He couldn’t seem to get out a conversation with her. Maybe it was because she looked so un-Hermione-ish. She didn’t have her usual wild curls bouncing about her face, and was wearing robes that clung to her and very much made it clear she was a girl. There was no ignoring that now.

Food was what he needed. Lots of food and butterbeer. The slightly polite stilted conversation began to relax as the two of them ate and people watched together, and by the end of the meal the two of them were at ease with each other again.

The Weird Sisters came out, and Harry and the other Champions took to the dance floor with their dates. After a moment other couples began to join them. Other couple from their table made their way to dance as well, leaving just Ron.

Hermione was looking nervously at the dance floor, but hadn’t said anything.

“Would you like to–” he said, nodding to the dance floor.

She smiled. “Only if you want to.”

In truth Ron had little interest in slow dancing, but it wouldn’t do to tell her that. Plus it seemed a shame to have her sitting it out when she had gone to all that trouble to look so elegant.

“Yeah. Yeah, let’s have a dance.”

The slow dance gave way to some fast ones, and Ron found he liked dancing with Hermione much more than he he’d ever anticipated. He even spotted Harry dancing a lot with Ginny, which was probably one of the more awkward things he’d witnessed.

The evening went on- and by the end of it they were all flushed and happy, and made their way to bed.

Harry and Ginny went up their respective dorms, leaving Ron and Hermione downstairs next to the fire.

“I had a good time,” Hermione said with a bright smile.

“Yeah, me too!” Ron was happy to say.

“Well, goodnight,” Hermione said, standing on her tiptoes and giving Ron a quick peck on the cheek, before scuttling up to her dormitory.

His stomach swooped and spent a good ten minutes standing there. He was surprised. Maybe dances weren’t as barmy as he’d thought. With that he went to bed, dreams a bit full of floaty periwinkle fabric, twinkling brown eyes and bright smiles.


	6. Pureblood Grangers & Muggleborn Ron & Ginny-  R/Hr

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PROMPT "How do you think Ron and Hermione will get together if we have pureblood Grangers and muggle Weasleys with Ron and Ginny being magical."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a doozy because it dramatically changes plot points in certain ways. It ended up becoming quite quite long! D: This dynamic would change Ron’s perspective the most, I feel. Well, here it goes:

The Weasleys led a simple life. They had a quaint little country house with a lot of property around it where they would pick apples, milk their one cow, tend to chickens, and do all the various property maintenance things one had to do. They had seven children, so it was easy enough to take care of the property without help. Chores and a touch of isolation came with living on a property like this, but it was too beautiful a place for them to think of moving closer to town. It was a long drive to school every morning, since they were further out from the local schools than most of the other children, but there was always a brother or two available to do the drive if Mum was unavailable. Mum was a stay at home mum, and Dad was a government historical archivist. He loved to fill his shed with various medieval and historical junk. (Basically lots of swords and crossbows to hide from the Twins.)

Ron had never felt all that special growing up. He was the sixth boy in a family of seven, they weren’t well off, and he always seemed to get lost in the mix. His oldest brother was handsome, head boy at his school, went on to be financier- he was always travelling to globe and having wild adventures and mountain climbing. No adventure was as wild as his second brother Charlie’s, though. Charlie was an amazing footballer and went on to be a zoologist/safari guide. Percy was a brainiac. The Twins were funny, athletic, and wildly popular. Ginny was the girl. So that left Ron. He was alright at football, great at chess, and that was about it. That, and odd things seemed to happen around him.

Once the twins wouldn’t let him play ball, then all their footballs went completely flat at the same time- only to inflate when Ron was able to play with them. He would go into the yard and find little bugs no one else could see, except Ginny- she said they looked like fairies- but Ron knew fairies weren’t real, so that couldn’t be it. He could just wish to have something in his hand, and half the time it’d be there.

Ginny too seemed to have odd things happen. After watching Peter Pan he and Ginny thought happy thoughts and were able to float a bit. At least he thought he remembered that. It must have been a dream or something- because no one saw and they dismissed it as two children with imaginations gone wild when he and Ginny swore they’d flown.

One time the twins had locked him in a cage at Charlie’s work filled with giant spiders- and he was so scared he must have passed out- because next thing he knew he was on top of the icey cart 100 meters away and being yelled at for climbing there. He couldn’t remember doing it, though!

On his eleventh birthday he got home from school to find a large owl sitting in his open window. The owl blinked at him, then flew right at Ron. He gave a yelp and dived away, but the owl just perched next to Ron and gave an almost angry hoot. Clutched in its talons were two envelopes. It dropped them at his feet and flew out the window. Ron nervously opened them- one inviting him to ‘Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry’- the other a short note from a person named Minerva McGonagall saying she would be visiting his house at twelve past six to explain everything to him and his parents.

Was this one of the Twin’s pranks? The whole thing felt too strange and whimsical to be anything close to true. He went downstairs, envelopes in hand- expecting the Twins to be eagerly watching him with those grins they couldn’t conceal when they were about to pull one on him- but neither were paying him any mind as they gathered ingredients from under the sink to try and make homemade napalm again. He tried to ask his mum about the school and the lady saying she’d come to their house- but she was too distracted with dinner and gave a quick ‘that’s nice dear’ as he mentioned the odd list of school supplies he’d received. Ginny was the only one who listened and read over the list.

She smiled. ‘Could magic really be real? Do you think I could go with you to the school?’

‘I dunno,’ Ron replied, not sure what to make of it. Magic couldn’t be real! Could it?

His dad came home from work and they all sat down to dinner. At 6:12 on the dot there was a knock on the door. Ron and Ginny ran to the door and answered it with eager curiosity.

“I assume you are Ronald Weasley, and that is your sister Ginevra” the tall severe woman said.

His Mum came in to see who it was and was surprised to find a grown adult with a tall pointed witchy hat on her head.

“I’ve come to speak to you about your youngest children. They are very gifted and each have been invited to a special school to teach them magic.”

Their Mum immediately thought it was a Twin prank of some sort- but after the lady turned into a cat- the whole family believed her very quickly that this wasn’t a prank.

Ron was a magical wizard- and Ginny a witch. She would have to wait a year to follow- but the two of them were quite different from the rest of the family. Their Mum seemed horrified, and their Dad was almost giddy with excitement. A whole new culture to explore!

Ron, for one, felt something he’d never felt before in his life: special.

It took next to no convincing for their Dad to be on board, and a good two days for their Mum to agree to it all- but Ron was going to get to go to a different school- where no one knew his brothers, where he would be able to go his own path, and learn magic!

* * *

Later that year Hermione Granger bounced out of bed before the sun was up- because it was September 1st!

They had known she was magic from a young age, and frequently told her how precocious she was at it. She’d shown accidental magic when she was just three months old. By four she already had memorized many of the spells her mother and father used around the house, and she knew Hogwarts: A History backwards and forwards. She had a rather lonely childhood, with both her parents being Healers and board directors at St Mungos- so spent most of her time with their House Elf, Snoozy. She knew other children of course- almost all Pureblood, but she’d been tutored at home and hadn’t ever gotten to go to a real school before.

Her favorite tutor, Mr Lupin, had been half-blood and he had taught her a lot about Muggle culture when she asked. He would get her books on it, and her parents indulged her interest in Muggle things well enough. Her parents also were rather nice about werewolves- they were a rather ‘forward thinking’ family when it came to this and had started a program at St Mungos for it. Some called them Blood Traitors, but who cared what supposed followers of You-Know-Who thought. Her family was still part of the Sacred 28, and so was considered respectable enough.

Her birthday was in September- so she had to wait almost a whole extra year to attend Hogwarts- (A TRAGEDY!) but finally September 1st was here!

She had her robes cleanly pressed, and she and her mother went to the train station with plenty of time to spare. That’s when they spotted a large redheaded family (with a single trunk) looking about at the numbers with perplexed looks on their faces.

“Which wall are you supposed to run at?” a plump mother asked her children looking about.

“Nine and Three Quarters,” the tiny little girl piped up.

Seeing they were struggling Hermione and her mother helped the family out- showing how to run at the wall. Unfortunately his Muggle relatives would have to be left on the other side of the barrier. His mother gave him a huge hug, as did his three older brothers, and crying little sister- and he went through with the Grangers. Another little boy with black hair followed their lead as well.

Her mother volunteered Hermione as a guide for Ron, and the little boy with glasses watching them, but Hermione didn’t mind. She liked helping people and informing them of things. Plus, she’d never met a real Muggleborn before! She was fascinated to know everything in the world about him and immediately began asking him questions.

* * *

Ron had never met a more talkative girl in his life. She was helpful, but a bit of a nosy snob- like if you mixed Percy with reporter. She poked and prodded Ron like he was an alien and he felt overwhelmed by her enthusiasm. Well, she was enthusiastic until she heard the name of the boy who was following them onto the train. Harry Potter!

She started spewing forth information about him, and then acted like Ron was a fool for not knowing anything about him.

‘How would I have? I’m Muggleborn!’

‘Well, if I were Muggleborn I would have read every book I could before I came. Aren’t you afraid you’ll be awfully behind us all?’

That was it- Ron didn’t like her. He decided to get him and Harry (who looked equally nonplussed by her behavior) to their own compartment. He and Harry quickly became best of friends, sharing their strange accidental magic stories, how they both didn’t have much money (well, Harry hadn’t until last month), how scared but excited they were for the magical world! She came back a few times helping some boy named Neville find his pet rat, but they did their best to keep their distance from her.

They ended up sorted into Gryffindor- same as Granger who they did their best to avoid- but the gabby girl kept following them around, and bossing them. Ron finally lost his temper with her in charms when she told him to pronounce things ‘LeviOHsa! Not LevioSAH!’ He complained to Harry about the annoying friendless girl, which lead to her crying in a bathroom- which lead to taking down a troll- that somehow lead to them all three being best friends.

* * *

The next year Ron and his brothers had to drive their father’s car for hours and hours to save Harry from his relatives. Ron’s parents wanted to report them to protective services, but Dumbledore intervened and said he’d stop this sort of thing from happening again.

Later that year they were all at Diagon Alley- Ron’s dad having the time of his life at the bookstore- when a pureblood said some horrid things about the Grangers associated with ‘Mudbloods’- a word he was not familiar with. The Grangers knew this world, and it nearly came to blows when the Malfoys said such horrible things to Ron and Ginny.

Draco was picking on Ron for his blood status a lot that year- which was hard- but not nearly as hard as when Ginny started withdrawing from Ron. He had been excited to have his little sister join him at Hogwarts- have her look up to him more than his other brothers for once, and have him help her out.

She was very taken with Harry, but got sadder and sadder as the year went on- and kids like them kept getting petrified. Ron and his friends started working to solve the mystery at hand and ended up going into the forest to follow a bunch of spiders. Ron’s wand got broken as a Centaur saved them. Not a few weeks later Ginny nearly died- Hermione Ron and Harry figured it all out though and were able to save her (Hermione and Ron trapped on one side of the rock wall with Lockhart, who got hurt by his own spell with Ron’s wand.) The school pitched in, due to Ron’s bravery, and helped him buy a new wand.

* * *

 

Third year Neville won a prize from the paper that summer from the paper and he and his fat old Rat Trevor were featured in an article. Then Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban. Dementors around the school made it a terrible year for Harry, and Hermione bought a terrible cat that was terrorizing poor Neville’s rat- but what could they do about it, really?

Ron and Ginny decide to go out as beaters for the Quidditch team. He and Gin were a good team and he was glad to have something to get her excited about school again. They both eventually wanted different positions on the team, but it was a good start.

Fast forward to the end of the year. Shrieking Shack ended up having five kids, as Ginny was so close with the trio, and Neville was chasing down his rat when a dog drags him and the rat into the Whomping Willow.  Hermione already knew Lupin from when he had been her tutor as a younger child, so when he showed up she already knew he was a werewolf and trusted him more- so there was less need for explanations (able to get it all out of the way with before Snape ruined everything)- Sirius got freed as they were able to shut Lupin into the whomping willow before he turned- and they had enough spare wands to keep Peter in custody. Snape still outted Lupin's condition, sadly.

Sirius got pardoned (acknowledge both in wizard and muggle) and promptly got himself a flat big enough for Harry and other guests. Harry had to continue living with the Dursleys for a reason Dumbledore wouldn’t fully explain- but Sirius was happy to be able to spoil Harry and show up at their doorstep on his motorcycle to intimidate Dursleys into compliance until Harry could come stay with him.

* * *

 

The summer before their fourth year Hermione and Harry were invited to stay at Ron’s house before going on the the World Cup- Sirius had bought them all tickets and was loving that he could spoil them like this. Hermione was able to come a few weeks before Harry and Sirius would join them.

The anticipation had Ron in knots. Ron wasn’t so worried about Harry- he’d grown up Muggle and wouldn’t be all that phased by a rather cramped country house- but Hermione? She grew up in a mansion! A magical one too! His family was one generation out from farmers- something quite quaint to a posh girl like Hermione.

But when she got to his place she didn’t look down on any of it as stupid or odd- she found it all fascinating. The tv was a shock for her. She’d read about them in her Muggle Studies of course, but she had no idea it could be ‘so magical!’ She thought video tapes were about the neatest thing she’d ever seen, and was absolutely taken with glitchy used nintendo they had- the Twins, Bill and Charlie (the oldest two visiting them for the first time in a few years) had a blast showing her how to use the videogame system and she seemed to enjoy watching them play games both on the tv, and seeing them play football outside.

Ron’s dad and Percy got Hermione talking politics, and she had a whole lot to say. Since Lupin got outed as a werewolf Hermione had been going off about werewolf rights quite a lot. She hadn’t realized how bad things were and that they weren’t treated as equals in society because they weren’t considered human. Dad found it fascinating, of course.

She followed his mum around the kitchen as closely as she did a professor at school. She wasn’t familiar with kitchens much as they had a house elf who did all the cooking at their home.

They all were fascinated to hear more about magical elves that cleaned houses. As she described house elfs in more detail to the family, dad looked at her with concern and started asking about slavery. Hermione was shocked.

‘They’re-- Snoozy is NOT a– a slave!’

‘So you pay her a wage, then?’

‘Well.. n-no….’ Hermione squeaked out. Ron didn’t know what to do, because his dad was right- but he also didn’t like seeing Hermione upset like this.

They had a good sit down just the two of them later that night. Ron quite liked it when it was just him and Hermione like this. They tended to do this when one of them was upset. They just knew to stay by the fireplace long enough, and then they’d have a moment and get to talking about everything bothering them.

“Alright?” Ron asked sitting down. “By the way, sorry about Dad… He doesn’t quite know what to make of wizard stuff sometimes- and I know he didn’t mean to offend you or anything.”

The political awakening of Hermione’s went a bit sour when it’d been pointed out she had a house slave at her own disposal that she didn’t treat as an equal. Ron got a long lecture about the history of elves and traditions he was ignorant of- but she finally talked herself around and realized she had to consider her own actions and lifestyle in contrast to her political ideals. She almost went and freed her elf immediately- but Ron pointed out not every elf was like Dobby- she might end up hurting the elf’s feelings.

The next day Snoozy the elf was quite shocked when ‘Miss Granger’ summoned her to The Burrow, asking the elf's OPINION about the state of elfhood in their society, and what elvish lives should be like. Snoozy decided she didn’t want to be ‘free’ per se, but that she did like having more personal freedoms and decisions.

Ron was quite proud of Hermione for coming round the way she did. Of course he was always proud of Hermione. She was so smart, and pretty afterall.

* * *

 

_(4th year went down the same only Ron and Harry never had their falling out. Harry ended up going to the Yule Ball with Ginny (Again they’re closer than in original series.) but Hermione already had a date. Yule Brawl was still a thing (only Ron’s robes were nicer since Molly didn’t have to get dress robes for twins as well.) Weasleys still very protective and invite Harry and Hermione to their place in devon every summer.))_

* * *

 

End of fourth year had Ron sitting and pondering things more than usual.

Magic was an odd sort of thing. At times it was amazing. Ron especially loved flying. He wasn’t as good as Harry, but he wasn’t that bad either! He had never been all that fond of school- so essays and the like still were the bane of his existence, but the practical stuff he was learning at Hogwarts was cool. Everything from the sweets to the sports to the music was different from home- so when he came home with adventures even better than Charlie’s or Bill’s- it was a wonderful feeling. And he was the one brother at Hogwarts Ginny had to look up to, making them closer, and making Ron feel needed in a way he hadn’t before Hogwarts.

Ron was usually quite honest with his parents about what went on at the school, and what was going on with the wizarding world. Well, he was honest with his dad. With his Mum he had to couch things a certain way so she wouldn’t lose it. She didn’t quite know that Ron and his friends had nearly died a few times over the years. He’d hoped to keep it that way…

But after what happened with Harry with the third task… Ron wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do.

Sirius had smuggled some of the Weasleys over to watch Harry, even though it wasn’t technically legal- but they counted as family, yeah? It was nice to finally get to show his parents and brothers magic, even though it was a day about Harry- it felt nice to get them to see the magical world. Well, it was until the third task ended with a teenage boy dead, and Harry shaking and bleeding and crying.

Everyone was upset about Cedric’s death, and the rumor mills about Voldemort’s return had started churning. Ginny looked particularly pale and worried, but Ron had comforted her pretty well- trying to stay positive for her sake. But once everyone had gone on to bed, he stayed by the fireplace feeling sick to his stomach. It was well past midnight when he heard Hermione’s voice from the girl’s staircase.

“What are you doing up?”

He can’t even think about sleeping he’s so worried. She comes to sit beside him and asks if he’s alright.

“There’s going to be a war…” he lets out.

“It’s going to be ok. We won a war before, and we can win one again.”

“Yeah but… what’ll happen to me and Ginny until then?”

“You’ll go to school same as always.” Hermione said with certainty.

“No,” Ron says very bluntly. “Voldemort’s back. He almost killed my sister, almost killed by best friend, and now he’s back and I don’t know how I’m supposed to protect everyone.”

“You don’t have to. You’re just a kid. You go to school, and let the adults handle it.”

“Hermione, I don’t have wizard adults to take care of it at home. I only have me. How’s my Mum or Dad supposed to stand up to a Death Eater? How am I supposed to protect my little sister when I can’t legally do magic for another two years? I couldn’t even protect her when we both were in school together and she was being soulsucked by a bleedin’ book.”

“Dumbledore won’t let–”

“He has a bit more important people than me and my sister on his list to protect.”

“You’re very important!”

Ron made a face at this.

“I’m probably the least important person in this school. I’m a poor nobody from nowhere muggleborn. So’s my sister.  There’s not going to be resources for us.”

“Then I’ll have to protect you!” Hermione proclaimed.

He had to smile at that- Hermione was a fierce little thing. She was a special one. She always was so certain of who she was, and ready to argue about everything. She was completely naive about what all of this would mean for him and Ginny, but she meant well. She’d never faced a problem she couldn’t conquer- half the time it was because she was so smart and brave- and half because she was rich and pureblood. She didn’t quite get the advantages she had. She tried, bless her. She really tried. She would get all angry and decide to get political about things- like werewolf rights this year- but she couldn’t ever completely get it. He put his hand on hers and gave it a squeeze.

Even if she’d never fully understand, he was glad to have her on his side.

* * *

Ron gave Hermione a sad kind of smile- like he thought she was foolish- and perhaps she was.

She had to do something to protect people like Ron and Ginny. She had to do something to help protect great teachers like Professor Lupin. She had been so proud of herself for being so very open-eyed and vocal. But now? With Voldemort back, she was feeling quite afraid and useless. What could ONE teenage girl do to help real people. It wasn’t just some political movement of ideals- real people she knew were going to be facing more and more danger. Harry was still in the hospital wing, shaking and barely able to talk to them. And Ron’s eyes were looking uncertain and humorless.

The few days later she and Ron went to hospital wing to visit Harry, and Sirius was back from whatever he’d been doing of ‘getting the old gang together’ for Dumbledore. Harry cut their visit rather short, looking tired and not in any mood to see anyone- that’s when it occurred to Hermione she knew an adult who would be able to help her with Ron!

She pulled Sirius aside- imploring him for any advice. He’d been a pureblood wanting to make a difference in the last war! He was a trusted associate of Dumbledore! And he knew and valued Ron!

“We have to protect Ron and Ginny and their family somehow!”

Sirius agreed, said it was important now more than ever for her to be vocal in her support of Harry and Muggleborns, and for them to all prepare with spells and such in case the war came faster than before. He said he’d do everything he could to protect the Weasleys- he knew how much they meant to Harry and he was grateful- he’d put up some wards perhaps- see if he could get the Order to help. She’d never heard of an ‘Order of the Phoenix’ before. As he explained it to her, Hermione got excited.

“My family. We can do something to help! I know it! My parents will!”

“That’s… that’s a nice thought- but I’m not so sure they will want to sign up for that-”

It was just a matter of convincing her parents. She’d always been so proud of them- Healers who were so kind and benevolent. She knew they’d help!

She got home and immediately felt strange with them. They comfortably went about their lives without taking any risks or making any waves- they were privileged bystanders who did nothing to affect change. It was one thing to stand idly by when no one was in ‘real’ danger- but now, with a war coming- she needed to ask more of them- and for the first time in her life she was uncertain if her parents were as great as she had thought they were.

She mentioned the Weasley family and how to protect them- and her parents didn’t seem to see the threat facing them.

“They’re muggles, so they will be well outside of danger in all this, Hermione,” her father days.

“Not with Ron and Ginny there!”

“Well… Maybe we can invite them over during the summer?” her mother offers.

“What about the other muggleborns? We have to do something!”

“Well we can’t have all of them at our house.”

“What about joining the Order? We can help the Order and really do something to help people.”

“With our schedules…”

Hermione was devastated. They had to know how bad things would get! They had to! They’d lived through it! Comfortably… lived through it… She made up her mind that she would not be a privileged bystander, no matter what her parents did.

She immediately walked into a room full of old heirlooms her parents wouldn’t miss and gathered them into a pile to sell to raise funds. Ron had said there wouldn’t be resources for people like him, and she was right. She needed to make some resources for the Order- and the only way she could think to do it was with money. She emptied her room of anything with worth she didn’t care for and added it to the pile. She Flooed over the Sirius Black’s place in Hogsmeade. Lupin and someone named Tonks were there- and were surprised to see her empty an extended carpet bag full of silver and other priceless artifacts onto the living room floor.

“I want to join the Order!”

“Hermione, you’re only fifteen…” Lupin lets out. It takes a lot of convincing, but she finally relents. Until she’s seventeen she can’t be a member, and with great reluctance they allow her funds to go in to help with resources to protect the Weasleys and others. She asks that they not tell Ron (he’s always been proud, and a bit insecure about money) so they agree. First priority would be security measures put in place for the Weasleys.

* * *

Summer went by quickly, despite all the things that had happened. Harry nearly got expelled for casting a Patronus, they spent a long time cleaning up the Order headquarters, and Ron found that Hermione was looking prettier than she had just a month before he’d seen her again.

By fifth year Ron and Hermione had some ups and downs (the main issues being when he and Harry ignored her for a few months over Harry's broom, and he and Hermione’s falling out at the Yule Ball), but they got on rather splendidly by his reckoning. He’d been made prefect (finally something his mother could understand!) so part of his summer hadn’t been all that bad. He was looking forward to spending prefect rounds with Hermione that year. Harry looked a bit down when they had to do prefect stuff without him- but Harry had Ginny and Neville to hang out with- so it wasn’t so bad.

The thing was, they had a war coming, and Ron realized how woefully unprepared he was if the worst should happen as he sat in Umbridge’s useless class. He needed to concentrate on learning as much DADA as he could. He almost quit Quidditch, but Hermione of all people convinced him not to, saying how it was one of the few things she’d seen making him smile since Voldemort came back. He wasn’t that miserable was he? Well… maybe he was… He just didn’t know what to do to protect everyone!

That was when Hermione came up with, what became, the D.A.

Later that year Sirius was attacked by a snake at the ministry- Harry had seen the vision of it himself and warned the Order in time to get help to him. As they waited at the Order headquarters, Harry was being held by Ginny, who he’d been getting closer and closer with that year. Hermione flooed over as well, holding Ron’s hand as they wait to hear if Sirius had recovered. Eventually Lupin came with the news, Sirius miraculously was going to be ok!

As the year progressed, Ron and Hermione flirted more and more, and he was having a harder time convincing himself to not all out say how much he’d begun to fancy her. He tried a girly gift of perfume- but nothing much came of it. They even went to Hogsmeade on Valentine’s day- but it wasn’t romantic- they were there with Luna Lovegood, Ginny, Neville and Rita Skeeter so Harry could give an interview…

At the end of the year Harry had another vision - this time of Ron’s parents being held by Voldemort. Ron and Ginny are apoplectic with fear and rage- and so the trio, Neville, Ginny and Luna rushed to contact the Order- and were successful. The vision was a fake- the Weasleys were fine. The Order set up a trap at the Ministry- and were even able to take down some Death Eaters while still revealing Voldemort is indeed back. Everyone seems relieved, but Ron couldn't find any relief at all. He was even more terrified than he was the year before.

“They know about my family…” Ron moaned to himself late at night by the fire just as he’d been the year before. Hermione seemed to have a sixth sense for Ron’s low moods, because she was at his side again. She listened as he told her about his worries again.

“I think I need to drop out of Hogwarts. I can be at home protecting them, then. I know enough now to do it.”

“And if you cast one spell the Ministry might break your wand in two and you won’t be able to protect your family at all, or have a future in the wizarding world.”

“What future can I have right now, anyways?” he said, a bit unsurely. He was not certain the world would be all that friendly to him when it came to employment.

She assured Ron that he had always been a very talented wizard, who could have any future he wanted, and that she knew he could be an Auror if he just stayed with school long enough. She knew that her assurances wouldn't mean much unless she could back it up with something proving to Ron his family would be safe.

With that she confessed what she did the last summer to make sure his family would have security, even if it was just hired security. That’s how the Order knew immediately that Voldemort couldn’t have had his parents. She dreaded that he’d be mad at her for going behind his back and spending lots of money on him, but he started to smile at her.

“You really tried to join the Order last summer for my family?”

“Well, I mean, I care about all of you Weasleys of course, but really… I think I would do just about anything to keep you safe…”

He gives her a smile.

“I feel the same way.”

It would have been a perfect moment to kiss or be romantic, but at that moment it wasn’t about that at all. It was just two people loving the company of one another, trusting one another, and leaning on each other after a hard day. It wasn’t long after that night that Ron and Hermione ended up finding their hands interwoven more often, their glances warmer and more loving each day.

That summer he had her to the Burrow again, and he took her out in their small ATV to give her a tour of the property he hadn’t been able to before. Just the two of them. He enjoyed having her arms wrapped around his middle as he drove her round to the apple orchard he’d spent so much of his youth in.

She was shocked he knew how to drive. “How would you have had the time to learn something so complicated!” They’d all been driving from their Dad’s lap since they were four or so, as they were out in the country- so as long as you could reach the pedals you could drive in the Weasley household.

They picnicked together, then laid back on a blanket to cloud watch. Hermione had never cloud watched. This was actually her first time laying on the ground like this, which Ron found bizarre but lovable.

“You’re a real city mouse,” he said with a smirk. She’d never heard of the term before, and he liked being able to teach her something she didn’t know.

“So you’re a country mouse, and I’m a city mouse?” she laughed. He nodded pushing a curl behind her ear, enjoying having her cuddle against him. Despite being summer, there was a bit of a breeze, and he welcomed her presence.  “I suppose we really are from different worlds, aren’t we?”

“Maybe… But I like to think we’ll find a way to make it work wherever we are. You all posh and magical, me all yokel and muggleborn… We can find a place for the two of us.”

The thought of carving out some sort of place the two of them could be together made Hermione warm all over, and she couldn’t stop herself from sitting up to stare into his blue eyes.

Nothing was said, nothing could really capture what they were thinking- but somehow it all clicked, and they found themselves sharing a sweet first kiss on a blanket in the countryside.

They would have so many differences to conquer, and plans to make- but the two of them would fiercely be there and make a place for just the two of them somewhere at sometime.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (The Grangers finally join the Order after Voldemort is ‘officially back’, Bill and Fleur met at the third task, and end up getting together still,  and much else goes different for the rest of the ‘books’- but that’s a headcanon for another day.)


	7. Muggle!Hermione and Wizard!Ron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Hermione had been muggle and Ron wizard? How would they have met? How would Ron tell Hermione that he does magic?

Hermione is working for the Prime Minister as some sort of policy adviser, when there’s the new guy Ron Weasley. (let’s pretend it’s a new made up prime minister we all like.) She has been in this line of work for over a decade now, and she’s never heard of him- so is automatically suspicious for some unknown like him to suddenly be filling a vacancy so high up the food chain.

She has to admit Ron does have good input at times, and is quick on his feet- but he’s also very casual and seems to be flummoxed by simple things like typing and is slow on his political references. He has the air of someone struggling to keep up, and Hermione fails to see how he got to his position. A few of the other women on staff have taken an interest in him, which made Hermione roll her eyes. Everyone seems to automatically like him, which she also does not care for. No one is even a LITTLE bit weirded out by this bloke being here? She’s the only one? She gets very quickly dismissed and they think she’s just being prickly.  

Ron seems a nice enough fellow, so she finally accepts that he might just very well be nervous and she’s gotten it wrong. He gets all his work done on time, and sometimes is even faster than she is. She starts to warm up to him, and asks him to have lunch with her. He seems surprised, as she had made it fairly clear she didn’t like him, but he says yes. At lunch Hermione apologizes for having been dismissive of him at first; she’s just wary of outsiders and is very passionate about her job. He notes how very sharp she is and how it threw him for a loop, but he likes it.

They start having meals together more regularly, and she finds she’s starting to harbor a bit of a crush on him. He love his family, and is always talking about his best friend and little sister and nieces. It’s rare to see someone their age be so kind and dedicated. She asks him to get dinner with her, and he seems hesitant, but makes up his mind and says yes. It ends up turning a bit romantic, which Hermione had never intended! It was just dinner between work colleagues, but their ‘date that was never called a date’ goes very well, and they end up kissing.

They’re dating, even though Ron seems a little odd about it. He’s very very private, and never lets her over to his place. She meets his best friend Harry and some of his family- the little sister, the jokester brother who is really great at magic tricks (which Ron didn’t seem pleased by).

Then little things stop adding up about Ron. She knows which school he went to and other details of his life- it’s on his CV they gave them after all- yet when she asks about something, he’ll get vague or mix up details. She looks him up and it’s like he doesn’t exist at any of the places. He must’ve lied on his CV.  She doesn’t care how nice or handsome he might be, she worked hard to get where she did and doesn’t need some white male coming in taking jobs that should have gone to ACTUALLY QUALIFIED people.

She follows him after work to confront him with the fact that none of his institutions have ever heard of him- and wants to give him a chance to quit instead of her going to higher ups–when he shouts at her ‘get down!’ and practically tackles her to the ground.

"What are you _doing_!? Get off me!"

He’s pointing a stick and light is emitting from it as he wields it like a short rapier and there are explosive noises and bright lights coming at them. At the end of it, one of the people is frozen on the ground and the other two disappeared with a giant crack. She’s shaking from head to toe. He’s asking if she’s ok and she supposes so but she is so confused.

He quickly explains he’s a magical wizard- and he is an Auror- ‘Sort of like a cop or secret agent?’ Those bad guys have been trying to infiltrate the government and he’s been assigned to stop them- and he needs to get backup here to deal with the mess left behind.  He seems to be wrestling over something with himself, then says, "Don’t let anyone get you alone or point a wand at you."

A lot of other wizards show up, and Ron is talking to them so seriously and is clearly seen as important in their ranks. His friend Harry shows up- he’s also an Auror. Some unknown Aurors pull Hermione aside to ask a load of questions, just like in the tv cop shows- and when they’re done another person comes forward to point their wand right at Hermione, like Ron said- she doesn’t know what she’s supposed to do to stop them! They are talking very calmly and saying ‘we’re just going to wipe your memory’ when Ron intervenes, saying he’ll take care of it. ‘But sir–’ and he gives them a hard look and they don’t intervene.

He says he’ll take her home and she dazedly agrees. That’s where he sits her down and tells her all about the Wizarding World, what his job entails, and the secrecy needed, and how they normally wipe the winds of ‘Muggles’ like her. He needs to know how she figured out he wasn’t who he said on his CV, and she tells him. He tells her he has to wipe her mind- and she doesn’t want him to. He really likes her, and doesn’t want to wipe her mind either.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah- that’s sort of the scenario I like- there’d be drama of clashing worlds, whatever the conspiracy was to infiltrate the govt, maybe him having to pull out of his job with Hermione or wiping the memories of him at the govt job -  But eventually they’d work it out and it’d be super adorable
> 
> There are are a few scenarios I could see panning out at the prompt. Like, just a regular coffeeshop meet-cute, he’s in an accident and she’s the doctor at the hospital he was taken to, she was a friend of Harry’s before Hogwarts and they see eachother and catch up and she meets Ron through him etc.  
> A favorite premise is Auror!Ron meeting Muggle!Hermione. This can go down a few different ways, of course! :) SO many possibilities! (hospital meetup, he’s on lookout and she’s a witness/target etc)


	8. Hermes and Ron (male!Hermione)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ended up being a bit over 7k words, this one! And hey, just in time for pride month! :)  Romione but m/m! :)
> 
>  
> 
> Trigger warnings: character being outted, homophobia, internalized homophobia
> 
> rated PG-13 for cursing and homophobia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  This has Hermes struggling to come to terms with his sexuality. Again, as with the f/f Romione story, I was inspired a lot by my experiences when I was younger. Also has a guest appearance by Ace!Charlie Weasley :) This is set in the 90s, so things aren’t quite as smooth as they would be if this story was set in the present day. People weren’t as sensitive to the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community then, weren’t as equipped with the vocab or knowing what to say etc. It was before my time, but I want to be as true to that as I can.

 

BEFORE HOGWARTS

Hermes Granger had never been a popular child growing up. He wasn’t sure if it was because his nose was always in a book, or if his nose was in a book because they were much more friendly company than the children around him. He was always seen as odd, and he supposed they were right. He wasn’t quite like the other boys his age. He preferred reading to sports, preferred the teachers to the other children, and he inexplicably had strange things happen around him.

Owls and cats seemed to listen to him. He could make any electronic short circuit when he got frustrated. He’d wish for things to happen– impossible poetic vengeful things, as we all are wont to do when someone is being particularly cruel or unjust– and a lot of the time they would happen. 

Philip Pickering, the biggest bully in their class, had taken Hermes’s diorama and poured paint all up inside it, ruining all the hard work he’d put in. Hermes wished someone would pour paint in something Philip liked, and then a horrible accident happened in art class- a whole wall of paint cans tipped over and covered Philip, and only Philip, head to toe in paint. His Air Jordans were ruined, along with everything else he was wearing, and even all the homework in his rucksack. Hermes was delighted, but also a bit afraid of how his darker wishes could come true. From that moment on he did his best to keep such wishes from coming true, and did an alright job of it.

When he found out he was a wizard it all sort of fell into place. He was odd because he was magical, but he’d find his place soon enough once surrounded by other wizards and witches at Hogwarts!

–

FIRST YEAR

It took time to find his place. At first he found his bookish ways and penchant for telling people what to do were just as disliked there as they’d been at his Muggle school. He’d been quite hopeful of making a friendship with two boys in particular- Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Harry was an important person in so many books, and that made him a fascinating person to meet and analyze. And then there was Ron- he wasn’t sure why he liked to look at him so much, but there was something different about him that make Hermes want to be his friend.

A few months of spats, and a culmination of taking down a mountain troll,  cemented his friendships with the other boys, and Hermes finally had close friends for the first time in his life. Not just close; Best friends. Wonderful friends, who made him smile every day, and gave him something to fight for that meant much more than just grades.

–

SECOND YEAR

Meeting Harry and Dumbledore, two people from books who had done great things, had been something special, but it paled in comparison to meeting a real life author. Hermes had only met a few authors in his life before, all Muggle at his local library, but Gilderoy Lockhart? He was something very very different. He was a hero. He had done great feats and had written about his exploits in many volumes. He also was very handsome, which Hermes hadn’t initially noticed, but after seeing him just a few times, it was hard to not notice it when so many of the girls were sighing over him. He felt a thrill when Professor Lockhart gave him another five points for answering another question right.

Hermes had never really noticed men being handsome like this before, and when Ron noted how many of the girls were taken with Lockhart, it finally clicked into place. Hermes was looking at Lockhart like the girls were…. Well, maybe he was? He wasn’t sure… I mean, who was sure of anything at thirteen? It felt like he was too young to know. He’d never looked at girls at anyone that way, boy or girl. He could tell if someone was good looking or not, of course- but that wasn’t quite the same as that feeling of having a crush on someone.

He’d always been different from everyone else, but this? Oh he couldn’t be that way. It was too different, probably even for the Wizarding world. Hermes hadn’t read about any gay wizards. He’d never read about gay anyone, really, other than Oscar Wilde, and things hadn’t exactly gone well for that Author.

Fleetingly he thought about talking about it with Harry and Ron- but the idea that they would look at him different, or get freaked out and not want to share a dorm with him? It was too much to bear.

No. He’d have to sit on it and tell no one. It’s not like it mattered, really. He was just a kid- and no one was expected to do much dating before they were grown. It’s not like he liked anyone he could actually date anyway. And this was probably just an anomaly of some sort…

–

THIRD YEAR

“You gonna eat that?”

Hermes looked up from the seventh study guide he’d made himself to see Ron pointing at his plate.

“You can have it, I’m busy,” Hemes grunted. Why had he signed up for so many classes? It was absolute madness. He could barely keep up with what day of the week it was anymore, and had so many different exams coming up, and he just knew he’d fail everything, and have to go back home and be alone forever and–

“No, mate. You need to eat up. You’ve barely eaten anything and the meal’s gonna vanish in like ten minutes,” Ron said, pushing his plate over the parchment Hermes had strewn about him.

“No, I need to study! I have boat-loads of work to do, and no matter what I can’t seem to make myself the time to do it all properly, and I just know I’ll be expelled and my parents will never forgive me for disappointing them!”

“Look,” said Ron, gently stopping Hermes’s hands from gathering papers. “I don’t know what’s going on with you and this mad schedule of yours, but you’ve got to take care of yourself.”

Hermes looked up into Ron’s earnest face, and the freckled hands holding his own in place, and felt himself begin to blush.

“I… Erm-” Hermes said, flustered in a way he hadn’t ever been with Ron before. “Yes… Yes I need energy… yes…. But I also need to study.”

Ron rolled his eyes.

“You’re the smartest person I know, so you’ll be brilliant no matter what- but you can’t study without any energy to do it, right?”

Hermes nodded, his mind buzzing and blank as Ron peered at him.

“How ‘bout this. You finish your plate, and I quiz you while you eat?”

“Alright… I suppose I can do that.”

Ron gave a lopsided smile in return, and the nervous flush worked its way down Hermes’s spine again. He really did need to eat something, because his stomach was starting to lurch and he felt a bit dizzy as Ron grinned at him.

-

FOURTH YEAR

Hermes had never been much for Quidditch, but the World Quidditch Cup would be an excellent way to learn about other Magical communities, and also it would give Hermes the opportunity to spend time at the Weasley household that summer. 

Mr Weasley had scored them some great seats at the top of the stadium, and Hermes couldn’t deny it was rather thrilling to be at such a large stadium like this.

“And now,” Ludo Bagman announced to the stadium, “without further ado, allow me to introduce… the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!”

“I wonder what they brought,” said Mrs Weasley, before leaning forward and polishing his glasses in a flury. “Aaah! Veela!”

“What are veel–?” Harry began to ask, but he trailed off as he looked down at the field. Hermes began to tell Harry exactly what Veela were, but stopped himself when he realized his speech was falling on deaf ears. Harry was staring down at the creatures on the field with a rapturous hungry look that made Hermes roll his eyes. He was about to nudge Ron so they could tease their friend, but strangely Ron was just as taken with the the Veela as Harry. In fact it felt like all the men in the box were looking similarly glassy eyed as they stared down at the women on the field. As the women began to dance the whole stadium’s population of men went mad. It felt like every male was looking on a bit agog, or starting to do something particularly embarrassing to get the Veelas’s attention. All of them except for Hermes.

Harry looked like he was about to fling himself from the box before Hermes stopped him, and Ron was pulled back from a dive by Charlie. The Veela were ushered off the field, and another mascot show of Leprechauns was brought out onto the field- but Hermes paid them no mind. He had a chill running through him. Why hadn’t the Veela affected him?

They’d made Harry and everyone else go mad… Ron too… But not Hermes.

As everyone gleefully scrambled for gold that was raining upon them, Hermes excused himself to the loo.

Since the match was beginning in moments, the room was blissfully empty, and Hermes had a moment to put water on his face and gather himself in total privacy.

“You alright, Hermes?”

He turned about to see Charlie Weasley leaning against the door frame.

“I’m… I’m fine. Just a bit overheated up there.”

“Yeah… energetic lot they are. Either they’re all going mad over gold that’ll disappear in an hour, or Veela are throwing ‘em into a frenzy,” Charlie said with a nod.

Hermes nodded unable to think of anything to say.

“Sure you’re alright? You started looking a bit pale after the Veela left.”

“Well…” Hermes let out, mind reeling for an answer. “Well, Harry and Ron nearly threw themselves from the top of the stadium box. It was quite frightening.”

“We stopped ‘em before making too big of arses of themselves,” Charlie said with a smile. “Even if we hadn’t, there are spells to keep them from falling off, so they weren’t in any real danger.”

“You!” Hermes exclaimed, practically pointing at Charlie, and feeling almost giddy relief. “You weren’t trying to jump out the box. You were able to keep your head like I did!” 

“Yeah… I’m not affected by Veela Magic.”

“So Veela… They don’t affect everyone the same then?” Hermes said, a smile on his face. He wasn’t broken or something. It was normal!

“That’s right…”

“Why is that?”

“Well, er…” Charlie said, a hand to the nape of his neck the same way Ron did when he was worried about something. “Veela magic only affects men who are attracted to women.” 

The cold feeling in Hermes’s gut was back tenfold. Hermes wanted the floor to swallow him up. He felt like crying.

“I… I’m– I’m… I thought… So that means…” Hermes let out nonsensically.

“Doesn’t have to mean anything you don’t want it to mean,” Charlie said, coming close and putting a comforting hand on Hermes’s shoulder.  “In my case I’m not really attracted to, well, anyone, so I’m spared the whole Veela horndog nonsense. And you… You’re young and don’t have to have it all figured out right this moment. You can figure out who you are, and who you like, or don’t like, at your own pace. You’ve got plenty of time.”

Hermes swiped at his eyes, feeling tears trying to make their way down his face.

“Did- did anyone else notice?” Hermes murmured as he gave a sniff.

“Notice what? You not reacting? I don’t think so. They were all much more intent on making spectacles of themselves for the Veelas,” Charlie said with a smile.

“I’m already so different from everyone… Muggleborn and a-a bookworm… I don’t want this too!”

“I know…” Charlie said with a sympathetic look. “Want me to escort you back to the tent and make an excuse that you’re ill? Or hang here a bit then go back to the game? Whatever you need, we’ll do.”

Hermes thought a moment before deciding to go back to the game. Charlie did a spell to make Hermes’s face not be so obviously swollen from tears (’Handy spell that! Don’t want the other dragon wranglers to see you cry over a baby dragon being hatched!’)  and they decided the excuse for their absence would be they decided to use the loo before the game got going and the crowds got so thick.

As Hermes slid into his seat, Ron handed over his omnioculars for him to use.

“Recorded their entrances for you. Blimey, Hermes, I know you don’t care much for Quidditch, but this is one of the best parts!” he smiled, showing him the cool moves the different players did as they burst into the stadium and describing each one in detail. “And check out Krum! He’s the absolute best player in the world! And practically our age! We could know him. Can you imagine?”

Hermes played along with Ron’s enthusiasm for the game, and found it quickly became real. Ron didn’t seem to have noticed anything, and Hermes felt his body ease with relief. If anyone would notice something was amok with him, it’d be Ron. He felt a warm comfort as his friend put their heads together so he could describe each of the players for Hermes as they looked into the omnioculars. Ron was always so thoughtful that way… And his hair smelled something divine.

-

FIFTH YEAR

“So… I’m gay.”

“I know.”

“What?” Hermes let out, staring agog at Ginny. “How did you know?”

“Well, I didn’t know-know, but I was pretty certain,” she replied with a shrug, leaning back on the dusty fourposter they sat on. They hadn’t gotten around to cleaning this Grimmauld room yet, they were so busy with their conversation. “I mean, Ron and Harry each have noticed their fair share of girls by now, between Veelas, and Cho… And you never have seemed to notice any girls.”

Ginny and Hermes had been a touch closer since attending the Yule Ball together the previous year, and his fourth year at Hogwarts had made him take the time to figure out who he was, and who he liked, just as Charlie had said he would.

Who was he?  Hermes Granger. Muggleborn. Gay. Who did he like? men, it seemed. And one in particular. Hermes kept trying to quiet the crush he’d been growing, but he could no longer deny the feelings that had been growing for Ron since third year.

“I haven’t told anyone else… Well, Charlie knows I’m not straight because of that whole Veela incident. And Viktor knows since, well… We snogged and all…”

“Hah, yeah, I’d say that’d lead to him knowing!” Ginny snorted with a good-natured grin. “Are you planning on telling Harry and Ron?”

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Hermes fretted, biting his lower lip. “It could change a lot of things…”

“Want me to feel it out for you? Not you being gay, but gay people in general? Just make sure you feel extra safe?”

“I don’t know that you need to do that. It’’s one thing for it to be gay people in theory, but quite another for it to be your friend and dormmate, so I’m not sure how much security I’d get with it. Thank you for the offer though.”

“Of course!” said Ginny before giving Hermes a hug. “Thank you so much for trusting me with this. I’m sure it will all go fine, though! I mean, it’s Harry and Ron!”

“Yes, I’m sure….”

“If they give you crap I’ll hex them.”

“I can hex them myself, but thank you for the offer.”

“Hex who?” came Ron’s voice from the hall coming into the bedroom.

“Snape, “ Ginny coolly lied. “How long you been out there.”

“Just escaped, haven’t I?” he said sitting on the bed beside Hermes. He was a bit covered in dust and sweaty. “Oh! This is a brilliant way to escape Mum. She won’t want to have to huff it up five flights.”

“She can just Apparate, can’t she?” Hermes suggested.

“She doesn’t like Apparition all that much, so hopefully she won’t. I just want to hang out with my mate, and I guess you too Ginny.”

“Thanks much, Ron,” Ginny said with a two fingered salute he returned. “I’ll go see what the twins are up to.”

“Maybe she’ll lay off a bit when Harry gets here?”

“She didn’t when I got here,” Hermes noted.

“Oh right.” Ron laid back on the bed and put his arms behind his head. He’d grown even taller over the summer, and laid out as he was Hermes found it hard to think straight. “Well, at least for now we get some time just you and me. We need to make sure to keep a habit of it this year. I miss it when we don’t have that. ”

“You do?”

“‘Course I do,” Ron said, giving a punch to Hermes’s arm that hurt a bit, but made him smile. “I know this isn’t much of a vacation for you, but I’m glad you came.”

Hermes couldn’t imagine being anywhere else, really. Even though Grimmauld place was dusty, dark and highly disturbing, it was worth sacrificing any trip with his parents to spend more time with Ron. And Harry too, of course.

–

SIXTH YEAR

Hermes had been feeling rather giddy that evening. He had successfully asked Ron to the Slug Club Christmas Party earlier that week, and he’d been thoroughly blissed out ever since. Sure, it wasn’t really a date. He couldn’t very well say it was one, of course- Ron was straight and Hermes hadn’t told anyone but Ginny he was gay…  But this certainly felt like a date and he could pretend, dammit. Ron looked happy to be his guest for the party, and Hermes was looking forward to seeing him in the dress robes the twins had gotten him.

“Hermes?”

He looked up from his homework to see a teary eyed Ginny approaching him in the common room. Dean had come in not long before, but had made a beeline for their dormitory.

“Are you alright?” he said standing from his chair, hoping Dean hadn’t done something to hurt her.

“I need to talk to you in private.”

“Okay…” He quickly gathered his work into his bookbag and followed her down the cooridor.

“Hermes. I’m… You’ll never forgive me, and you shouldn’t… But I can’t let you walk into this without knowing. I’m… I’m so so so sorry!”

“What are you sorry for?”

“I… I got into a fight with Ron. He and Harry walked in on me and Dean snogging, and he was doing his usual overprotective brother act and trying to shame me for kissing my effing boyfriend… And I was popping off- and then I… I told him he was the only one who thought it was disgusting because he had no experience, then I said Harry had snogged Cho and… I mentioned. Oh fuck–”

“What?”

“I said you had snogged Viktor! I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking and now they know. I’m so so so sorry!”

Hermes couldn’t breath.

“I’m so sorry, I said it and then not a second later I realized what it meant for me to have said it. I pointed my wand at them and told them not to tell anyone- I don’t know how to obliviate someone safely or I would. I’m so so sorry, Hermes. I didn’t mean to tell your secret.”

“Did… What did they say?”

“Not much. After I told them not to tell anyone, Harry said they wouldn’t, and Ron nodded- and then I ran straight here to tell you what happened.”

Hermes quietly leaned against the wall and slid to the ground, numb.

“No one else knows. I’m so sorry. Can I do anything?”

Hermes shook his head. Nothing could be done. They knew. Harry and Ron knew. He was out.

Hermes waited up as late as he could in the Common Room before slipping into his four poster. He set a tempus spell to wake him so he could avoid Harry and Ron that morning as well. He got up before them, went to the kitchens to eat, and then went straight back to his four poster. He didn’t have it in him to go to class, and instead spent most of the day getting ahead on homework, conjuring a flock of birds, and napping.  

“Hermes?” he heard Harry’s voice outside his fourposter. The room was quite dark. He must have slept a good portion of the day away.  He couldn’t answer, for fear that his voice would wobble and give out.

“We have sandwiches,” came Ron’s voice.

Hermes had to admit, breakfast was at least twelve hours away and his stomach was growling. He opened the curtains to see his best friends.

“Sandwich?” asked Harry, giving Ron a nudge that prompted him to proffer a napkin full of what must have been sandwiches. Hermes gave a shrug and took the proffered bundle of sandwiches.

“You missed class today,” said Harry.

“Yes I did.”

“Mind if we sit?”

Hermes shook his head. Harry sat on the edge of the bed, while Ron stood by looking for a place to put his hands, finally settling on his pockets.

“So…” Hermes began, deciding it best not to delay the inevitable. “Ginny told you that… That-”

“That you snogged Viktor Krum,” Ron finished for him, frowning at the floor.

“Yes… that,” Hermes said with a rough swallow.

“So does that mean you’re gay then? Or…” Harry trailed off.

Hermes slowly nodded.

“How’d you know?” Ron asked, sharply looking Hermes in the eye for the first time.

“Oh, erm…” said Hermes, thinking back to the Veelas he’d seen a few years prior. “I suppose at the Quidditch World Cup.”

“Oh… When you… Was it seeing Krum?” Ron frowned, while Harry nervously looked between the two of them.

Hermes was about to protest it was the Veela, but Harry interrupted with a–

“And that’s fine!” Harry said, looking like he wanted the conversation to end quickly, as he normally did whenever anyone talked about anything remotely personal. “You know it doesn’t matter that you’re… you’re gay or whatever, right? Not to us.”

They looked to Ron, who nodded as well.

“I promise, this won’t affect our friendship. Things between us all are completely platonic,” Hermes said, almost desperate to make eye contact with Ron especially. “You mean so much to me, and I just… I don’t know what’d I’d do if you stopped being my friends…”

He felt himself wanting to cry and swiped at his eyes before he could properly start.

“We’re still your friends, you daft bugger,” Ron said, before putting a hand to his mouth. “Can I say that? I’m sorry.”

“As long as we can call  _you_  that, I think I’ll let it slide” Hermes said with a smile.

“Oh like you ever swear,” Ron teased back. Peace seemed to have been restored, but Ron still looked a bit down. “Well… I’m gonna go off for a bit…”

Ron left the room without another word.

“Do you think he’s really ok with this?” Hermes asked Harry.

“Sandwiches are from him,” Harry said rather vaguely. This was as close to talking about feelings he and Harry had ever gotten, and neither were comfortable with that prospect. Harry continued to look at Hermes in a plaintive sort of way. “Er, well…. Maybe Ginny would explain it better.”

“Ginny’s done more than enough ‘explaining’ thank you very much,” Hermes said crossing his arms. “Why don’t you join Ron. I’ll be awful company.”

“You’ll come to class tomorrow, though, right?”

“I suppose I must. Thank Ron for the sandwiches.”

—-

The next morning Hermes woke early again, but instead of running away he waited for Ron and Harry in the common room. A feeling of deep relaxation had seeped into him. He was reminded of when he’d try to bring all the groceries into the house in one go for his parents- the bags cutting into his fingers as he precariously tried to balance them and not drop anything, and the strange elation he felt upon reached the kitchen island without dropping anything.

The triumphant unencumbered feeling was quashed rather quickly as he made his way to breakfast with Harry and Ron. Harry seemed his normal self, but Ron was in a dark mood no one could escape. He sat at breakfast stabbing his potatoes with much more violence than any starchy vegetable required, was being oddly icy and indifferent with Hermes during class, and even went to Quidditch practice snarling at everyone as if they too were errant potatoes that needed a lesson taught to them.

By the morning of the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin Hermes had enough and was barely able to be in Ron’s grouchy presence. Upon walking into the Great Hall, though, Hermes couldn’t resist checking to make sure Ron was doing alright with his pre-game jitters. As usual Ron’s nerves were shot, until Harry seemingly had put luck potion into the redhead’s juice. Hermes couldn’t believe Harry would stoop so low, and all through the game Hermes glowered as Ron played amazingly well, culminating in a fantastic Gryffindor victory. The whole of Gryffindor was so ecstatic they decided to throw a victory party.

Hermes couldn’t be happy for them, knowing Harry and Ron had cheated, but when he went to call them out Harry revealed there was no potion used at all. It was merely a trick to get Ron into a better mindset for the game.

“ _You added Felix Felixis to Ron’s juice this morning, that’s why he saved everything!_ ” Ron said imitating Hermes’s uppish tone well. “See! I can save goals without help. Might not be an International Quidditch star, but I can play well.”

“I never said you couldn’t– Ron,  _You_  thought you’ve been given it too!“

Ron strode past Hermes without acknowledging him, broomstick on his wide shoulders.

“Er, shall… shall we go up to the party then?” Harry asked.

“You go! I’m sick of Ron at the moment,” he said storming out of the changing rooms. Why was Ron acting this way? They’d been getting on just fine, hadn’t they? Ron didn’t mind that Hermes was gay, did he? Even if he did, why would he be in a such a foul mood with everyone else?

Hermes went to the common room, where the party was in full swing. Alcohol was definitely involved creating a scene Hermes had little interest in. He was about to go up to his dorm room when he spotted Ron, wrapped in Lavender Brown’s arms, the two snogging as if it were the end of the world. A sickening sensation of falling came over Hermes, though he still stood on his feet quite steadily. Heart in his throat, and too many bodies between him and his dorm room, Hermes fled from the Common room to a small classroom down the hall.

Hermes had always known there was no chance between him and Ron. Ron liked Veela. He liked Madame Rosmerta. And now, he liked Lavender Brown. Buxom beautiful blonde women, that’s what Ron liked; Not bookish, brown, blokes. Not Hermes.

Hermes conjured some bird around him, hoping route spellwork might calm his flayed nerves, but any plans to gather himself together were quickly quashed when the door behind him burst open.

Ron came in laughing, pulling Lavender by the hand. “Oh,” he said, drawing up short at the sight of Hermes.

“Oops!” said Lavender as she backed out of the room giggling.

The door swung shut behind her. There was a horrible, swelling, billowing silence. Hermes stared at Ron, who refused to look at him, but said with an of mixture of bravado and awkwardness, “Hi… Didn’t see you at the party!”

Hermes didn’t know what possessed him to do it, but before he could think he shouted ‘Oppugno!’ and the birds he’d conjured rained down upon Ron like a hail of bullets, scratching and pecking at him as he yelped and covered his face with his hands.

Hermes didn’t care if boys shouldn’t cry. He ran down the hall to find another room and sobbed, unable to stop himself.

—

The next day the whole school was talking about it. Lavender had told Parvati, who had told Susan and Padma, who had told other people- and finally the whole school knew.

Hermes was jealous of Lavender. Hermes was gay for Ron.

He’d been straight up asked if he was gay by a Ravenclaw, and instead of lying he said yes. He hadn’t meant to, but he was so used to answering questions first and accurately that he’d shocked himself when he said it. 

Now everyone’s eyes were on him as he went through the halls the next few weeks. 

In class Ron ignored him, while Lavender pawed at him. Harry doggedly looked ahead and tried to act like nothing was happening, or glared at onlookers, but it was a bit hard for Hermes to ignore the whispers. Perhaps Harry was better at it as he was so used to rumors flying about him. Hermes was used to being ignored, and the sudden lack of anonymity was jarring.

Ginny made a point of walking with Hermes, and got as many friends as she could to do the same. Much of Gryffindor had rallied around him for meals, and it was a good thing too, because the rumor mill was getting particularly vicious one night at dinner.

“I mean are any of us actually surprised he’s a flaming homosexual?” said Zacharias Smith rather loudly at the Hufflepuff table. “He’s always been a bit of a limp-wristed bookworm. Don’t drop your soap around him! I heard he’s tried to go down on like all the male professors to get such good grades.”

“That’s it! I’m gonna remove your balls, Smith!” Ginny growled, bursting up from the table in a fury. Harry had similarly raised his wand, as well as a few other students.

“Don’t!” Hermes let out, but behind them there was a blur  of someone who kept moving forward, and Smith was on the ground in moments his face bleeding.

“You shut your fucking mouth, Smith! You shut your fucking mouth!” Ron was growling as he continued to pummel the blonde. Smith didn’t take it lying completely down, and rolled Ron’s head into the bench seat as he tried to punch and kick back.

“Mr Weasley! Mr Smith! What are you doing? Stop fighting this instant!” came the cry of Professor McGonagall, as she and a few other teachers flew from the Head Table. Ron punched the Hufflepuff a few more times until Harry and Neville pulled him off.

“‘E attaged me for no reason a’ all!” Smith lied as he wiped the blood from his mouth.

“That’s not true, professor, he was saying absolutely atrocious things about Hermes!” Lavender said, and many other students were nodding alongside her from the tables.

“I’d do it again!” Ron spat, wiping at the blood dripping down from his eyebrow.

“Yes, I’m sure you would,” McGonagall said, and Hermes was certain he saw a small smirk cross her thin mouth.

“Well, twenty points from both houses,” Sprout said.

“Bud he jumbt me!” Smith complained.

“Yes, that’s why we’re only taking the twenty from our house for your bullying, Smith,” Sprout said. “Best get you both to the hospital wing.”

“I don’t need to go to the hospital wing,” Ron said, swiping at his eyebrow.

“I’ll accompany them to my office for detention assignments as well as the hospital,” said McGonagall.

Hermes and Harry went to follow, but McGonagall stopped them with a quick gesture.

Just as many students were looking at Hermes as before, but he felt impervious to the stares. The only eyes that mattered were Ron’s as he glanced back at Hermes while being escorted from the Great Hall.

Later that night Harry and Hermes waited for Ron to come back, and when it was quite late he came through the portrait hole, a black eye forming.

“Oh no!” Hermes let out. “I thought you were going to go to the hospital wing.”

“I did. Fight like a Muggle get healed like a Muggle. Should’ve hexed his stupid mouth off,” Ron muttered sitting next to Hermes on the settee.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“Of course I did!” Ron said, looking to Harry for back up.

Harry fervently nodded in agreement. “Of course he did!”

“Well, at least let me heal you up. I’ll get some dittany.”

“I’ll get it,” Harry said, going up the stairs, leaving Ron and Hermes behind.

“You can’t go about fighting everyone. You two are ridiculous,” Hermes said, sitting back in his chair. 

“We’re not! People can’t talk that way about you, Hermes!” Ron said, his large fists balled so tight his bruised knuckles had gone white. Hermes took one of Ron’s hand to inspect the knuckles.

“I’m used to bullying because of what I am already,” he hummed. “This isn’t all that different really.”

“They didn’t try to say you don’t earn your grades because you’re Muggleborn, though. They didn’t try to make you out as some kind of… I don’t even know what word there is for it. It was sick.”

“Well, please don’t punch the next person who says something. You could get hurt more seriously than you already did,” Hermes said, thumb grazing near Ron’s cut in his eyebrow. Ron shut his eyes a moment and the two of them sat, just listening to each other’s breaths  “Thank you, though. For– for standing up for me like that. I’m glad you… you still care.”

“Are you mad? Of course I care!” Ron said with a roll of his eyes.

“Well… After everything, you’ve been so mad at me, and then I attacked you, and now the rumors about me…”

“Which rumors?” Ron asked, expression closed, all except his eyes that pierced through any composure Hermes had.

“Well, the one really. The one about how I’m…” Hermes had to gather his courage to finish his sentence, “I’m jealous of Lavender.”

Ron’s breath seemed to stop, and so did Hermes’s.

“People are saying I’m jealous of Lavender and that’s why I attacked you with birds,” Hermes said, feeling his face begin to heat up. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done it.”

“Why did you then?”

“What?”

“Why’d you attack me with the birds if you weren’t jealous.”

“Well… The truth is…” Hermes couldn’t think of a good answer for that that would pass true muster. Ron was looking at him so fervently he decided lying made little sense. Even if it came to nothing, Hermes couldn’t keep up his facade with Ron a moment longer. He’d been hiding enough of himself. “The truth is, I am jealous.”

Ron’s eyebrows disappeared into his fringe, and his mouth almost hung open. “You said… You said it was platonic between us.”

“I’m sorry,” Hermes said quickly before pressing on. “I’ve… I’ve fancied you for ages, but I know you don’t feel the same. That’s why I’ve never said anything til now. Don’t worry about it. I’m sorry… I know you’re not… like me, and this doesn’t change anything in our friendship and–”

Ron’s lips met his, and Hermes froze in surprise. It was the tenderest most beautiful kiss he could have imagined. It ended all too soon though, as Harry’s footsteps echoed into the room, and they wrenched apart right before he rounded the corner.

He looked between his friends in a curious manner, before placing the dittany and a flannel between them.

“I’m a bit tired. Going off to Bedfordshire,” he let out, wincing at himself before leaving.

They were both red in the face and nervously began to laugh.

“I guess I better fix you up, then,” said Hermes, taking the flannel and applying  dittany to Ron’s wounds. Ron gave a small hiss as the wound closed up in his eyebrow.

“Thanks.”

“Not a problem,” said Hermes, stopping up the bottle again. “I suppose we ought to go to bed then?”

“Not yet, no,” Ron said, leaning over to gently hold Hermes’s chin and bring him in for another kiss. Hermes gratefully returned it, and was surprised at how quickly it became heated, burning through him, and growing a deep hunger within him that had nothing to do with food. As they came up for a bit more air, Ron let out snort.

“What’s so funny?”

“How daft the two of us are. You jealous over Lavender, and me over Krum.”

“Viktor? That was two years ago!”

“Well I didn’t know that! I only found out a month ago. He’s an international Quidditch player, and you snogged him. Plus, he was your ‘sexual awakening’ or whatever.”

“He was not!”

“You said you figured out you were gay at the Quidditch World Cup.”

“That was because I had no interest in the Veela. Not because of Viktor. I didn’t even know Viktor then.”

“Doesn’t stop you from thinking he’s good looking,” Ron said with a shrug, putting a hand on his neck.

“Oh ho! Who had a sexual awakening over Krum now?” Hermes laughed, delighted at the way Ron’s ears flamed up. “Frankly I was more distracted by you at the World Cup as you shared your omnioculars with me…”

“You were?” Ron smiled broadly.

“Yes,” Hermes smiled back, before it faltered. “So… I said I fancy you, but you haven’t actually said anything like that to me…”

“I was just kissing you!”

“You’ve been doing plenty of kissing lately,” Hermes said archly.

“Okay, that’s fair enough…” Ron said putting his head down. “I just… I was feeling down, and thought maybe it’d be easier to get over you if I tried things out with Lavender… She was there and believed in me… You were into famous Quidditch players, and said it was platonic between us- while she fancied me, of all people. I hadn’t a clue you might like me back. ”

“I do like you. Quite a lot, actually.”

“And I’ve fancied you for ages. Never thought it could actually happen though. Was bloody brilliant kissing you, finally.”

“It was bloody brilliant,” Hermes grinned.

“Let’s make a habit of it,” Ron said leaning in for another kiss.

“Are we… Are we going to be a couple then?” Hermes whispered as Ron’s mouth made its way down the column of his neck.

“Yeah,” Ron whispered back against his skin. “

“Publicly?”

“Is there another way to be a couple?” Ron asked, perplexed.

Hermes leaned back to stare at Ron, and take him all in. “You’re bloody brilliant, you are.”

“That’s my line,” Ron replied, before quieting Hermes with a kiss.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to be clear, Lavender wasn’t maliciously trying to out Hermes- this was the 90s and people were less aware of how to treat things like this then. 
> 
> So hope you guys liked it! If you did, let me know in the comments! :D


	9. If Ron were a virgin, and Hermione not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If Ron were a virgin, and Hermione not.
> 
> PG-13- alludes to sexual acts, but doesn’t actually show or describe anything in any detail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anonymous said: _"I kinda want you to write a story that would deal with Ron is virgin but Hermione isn't. I just feel like I read a lot of Hermione dealing with Ron sleeping with Lavender (or another girl) but hardly the opposite so I just think it would be interesting. Btw I love your newest story your working on!"_
> 
> Thanks so much! Sorry for the long time coming on this. (Not sure which story you mean, but I think you! I’m assuming Won Won?)

Ron and Hermione had always been known as a passionate pair of people. He was the hot-headed ginger who would leap into altercations every year. She was the stubborn firebrand who would debate anyone at any given time. When they were together, their verbal spars were well known throughout the school, and now that they were together their passions raged on.

When Hermione had kissed him in the middle of the Hogwarts Battle, it hadn’t been anything chaste or tepid- it had been fiery, ardent, passionate and mindblowing. He’d swept her up in his arms and it had seared through him, having Hermione finally kiss him as he’d always wanted her to.

After the battle and the war, it took a bit for them to get that fire back. Ron found himself haunted by phantom death eaters and visions of his loved ones dying, making him so cautious he seemed like a worried mother hen much of the time. Hermione was uncharacteristically withdrawn, finding it hard to even get out of bed much of the time as nightmares and flashbacks plagued her.

They were able to find their way back to their fire, though, together. Every time they were alone and able to kiss, reverent passion would begin to work its way back into their souls, and soon they found the physical part of their relationship begin to escalate in intensity. Being alone in Australia led to some nights where they very nearly went all the way- but with the stress of everything, they hadn’t quite managed to get there.

Once back in England, Ron moved in the Grimmauld place with Harry. Hermione had been spending much of her time with her parents, trying to rebuild their relationship. He couldn’t blame her, but he also missed her a lot. It made their moments together even more important.

One particularly heated evening at Grimmauld place, when snogging had turned to much more, Hermione rubbed into him in ways that made his whole body rigid with anticipation, and they were very nearly naked. She was so beautiful, and Ron couldn’t believe she was allowing him to see touch and taste so much of her. Things continued to escalate and before he knew it they were at the precipice of having sex.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” said Ron, as he was close to entering her.

“We did all the ‘necessary prep-work,’” she said, giving him a naughty smile that made his mind zoom to just what all they did to make her quite satisfied. The way her body had quivered had almost been his undoing. “Just go easy and it won’t hurt.”

“But first times… They always say it hurts a girl- a woman- the first time she-” Ron cut himself off, somehow unable to say anything more, as he was suddenly embarrassed.

“Well it… It won’t be my first time,” Hermione said, biting her lip and looking away. Ron stilled. What had been so special, tender and beautiful now felt uncertain and brittle. Ron rolled off of her to take in the information.

He turned away from her and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at his knees. He had thought they were both doing this for the first time.

“Ron?”

“Yeah… Yeah… Give me a moment…” he said trying not to sound sharp or feel hurt.

Hermione slid beside him, still looking so beautiful, and put a soothing hand on his arm.

“Please say something.”

“I just… I dunno what to say…”

“It was only one time, and it didn’t mean anything, Ron. It really didn’t.”

Ron let out a sigh and covered his face with his hands a moment. He felt so hollow inside right now, and oddly embarrassed.

“Did you and Lavender not–?”

“No.” He hadn’t really been saving himself for Hermione, as romantic as the notion was to him. Did he have a right to feel hurt? Given the chance, would he have had sex with someone else? If Lavender had offered, would he have been able to resist?

He just hadn’t happened to have sex. He hadn’t expected Hermione to ‘save herself’ for him, exactly, but he’d sure not wanted to think about anyone else getting to touch her and love her like he wanted to. He knew he should be incensed or jealous, or maybe even hurt- but oddly enough he wasn’t. He was just shocked more than anything. And embarrassed that he was a wilting virgin and she was finding out this way.

He heard a sniffle beside him, and turned to see big tears working their way down Hermione’s face. She got up from the bed and started to gather her clothes to her, looking so vulnerable it made his heart clench.

“What are you doing?” he quietly asked, stilling her hand as she reached across him to pull her shirt from his nightstand.

“I j-just assumed you’d, you’d not want me to stay… You can’t even look at me!” she said, rubbing at her eyes and scrambling to put her bra on.

“I can’t stop looking at you, Hermione. Kindof always been an issue for me,” he said with a small lopsided smile.

“But… But I’m. You thought I was–”

“It doesn’t matter,” Ron said cutting her off, and bringing her to stand in front of him. “You love me, right?”

“Of course I do!” she let out.

“Then what does it matter? I love you back, and in the scheme of things… It’s really not that important. I mean, we nearly died about a hundred times in the last year. This is just… not really important. I’m not thrilled or anything, and I feel like a right tosser, but… I can’t change the past, and I don’t want to pull another Lavender situation to even the playing field… I just want you.”

“I want you too! So much,” she said, hands still holding her clothes in front of her. “Are you sure you’re okay with this though? I mean-”

“Just 'cause it doesn’t matter, doesn’t mean I want to talk about it.”

Hermione nodded, though she looked pained at not being able to talk something to death. Her brows where drawn together and she looked so uncertain.

“How about,” Ron said, standing from the bed. “You and I get dressed and we finish off that tin of biscuits I have downstairs. Who knows. Maybe we’ll end up back in bed after?”

It took some convincing, but she finally acquiesced and let him ply her with some sweets, and sweet talk to boot. She was looking so deflated and unsure of herself it made him feel a sod for even having reacted at all. At one point, he would have been so hurt and vindictive about it. He would have really made it into an issue, but really, there was no point in doing that. It’d do nothing but hurt them both, and he’d well learned his lesson from sixth year and the war. He’d let jealousy drive a wedge between him and Hermione before, and he’d be damned if he’d let it happen again. There was no point in dallying about with hurt feelings and petty jealousies. They’d survived so much, and he wasn’t going to throw all of what they had built away. She was beautiful, smart, kind - and she wanted him of all the blokes in the world. Loved him.

Later that night he was no longer a virgin anymore, and he and Hermione continued to learn each other’s bodies and wants and needs in ways no one else could ever know. They had the rest of their lives to make a million memories, and he wasn’t going to waste a moment of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To me, after EVERYTHING they’ve gone through- I honestly think Ron would handle this fairly maturely. He’s done with all that bullsh!t from before, and even during, the war. He’s gained so much heartache and perspective at this point that this is just so small potatoes.
> 
> (Frankly, I think it should ALWAYS be considered nothing important because the concept of virginity being important and romanticized I find problematic, but that’s a long-ass speech for another day.) 
> 
> And as logical and confident as Hermione is, I think would be insecure about it at first as she’s not confident when it comes to feeling wanted, loved, and admired romantically- and she would definitely be self-judgmental about it. But anyways- there ya go, anon! Not some giant angsty story- but rather just an awkward moment between them that they get over relatively quickly- because life is too short.
> 
> And I know it's a bit silly for Hermione to get all weepy- but like... she's pretty activated there and is so 'traditional' in a lot of ways that I think that's where she'd go instead of a rant about how women's sexualities are policed in society


	10. AU Romione go on a date in OOTP

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt: "Romione au headcanon where they date and break up ootp and hbp happens same as it is"

Valentine’s day was the next day, but that meant very little to Ron. He had no romantic plans. He never had in the past, and this Valentine’s day was looking quite bleak. Angelina had scheduled a quidditch practice that day, and he knew he needed it. He was the worst player on the team- perhaps the worst player in all of history. What had he been thinking, trying out in the first place? The looks on everyone’s faces at the end of each scrimmage was enough to make him sick with nerves. He was always an eternal disappointment, he knew- but now the whole school knew.

He was moping by the common room fire, fingers pressed into his eyes when something miraculous happened. Angelina had gotten sick to her stomach in a nearby planter. She was ushered up to the hospital wing and diagnosed with Fwooper Flu, which had been going around the castle. Her getting sick wasn’t miraculous, but the rest of the team coming down with the Flu, and thus canceling practice? That was probably considered miracle worthy of Merlin himself.

Suddenly free, he realized the possibility of Valentine’s Day meaning more than just discount chocolate. It could mean spending the day with Hermione! On Valentine’s day!

Truth be told he’d spent every Valentine’s day with Hermione since he’d been in Hogwarts, but he’d never realized how much he fancied Hermione then. Maybe he had always fancied her on some level. Either way, he was fully smitten now and hadn’t a clue as to how to close the deal.

He’d given her perfume at Christmas, but she didn’t act any differently afterwards. She’d politely thanked him, and he’d not gotten anything special from her. She gave him and Harry the exact same, rather horrible, talking homework planners.

But she HAD kissed him earlier that year. It was only on the cheek, but maybe… Maybe that meant something? He couldn’t remember her ever kissing Harry.

Then again, maybe it was all in his head. Maybe she didn’t fancy him at all. Maybe it would be better to skip Hogsmeade and practice flying, official practice or no. Maybe he should give up on Hermione altogether.

After all, she was beautiful, and smart, and had people like Viktor Krum after her. Compared to all that, Ron had little to offer. He was a skinny freckled ginger, who was poor, horrible at quidditch, and got average grades. Sure he was good at chess and kind of funny- but that was not exactly heartthrob material, was it?

Feeling thoroughly down on himself, Ron was ready to turn in to bed when Hermione stepped through the portrait hole, arms laden with books that looked ready to topple. He quickly got up, took them from her, and guided her to the seat beside his own.

“Thank you,” she said with a smile. Thoughts of his lameness fell behind him as he took in her countenance, and her hair got all huge and staticky as she removed her scarf.

“What’s all this?” he asked, pointing to a stack of books impressively large for a Friday evening.

“Well, we have quite a few papers coming up, and I wanted first dibs on these for our papers. And of course I have Arithmancy and Runes on top of our regular classes. The Runes texts are perfect for my new translating assignment. We get to choose our own epic poems to translate, and I’ve been torn between two poems for ages, so I think I’ll just translate both, then choose whichever one I translated better. I also have a few books you might want to use on our Transfiguration essay that you can borrow when I’m finished.”

“Sure, thanks.” Half the time he didn’t really listen if she got deep into it on studies, but he always loved to watch her animatedly ramble. She had such a breathless flush to her when she went on about something, and he found it charming most of the time. Sometimes he would exasperatedly sigh at her, but it was mostly so he could get her to glare at him. Her glares were practically pouts, and she’d scrunch up her little sharp eyes at him, and somehow it made him smile even wider. She was the cutest indignant person he’d ever met.

“What have you been up to?” she asked, sorting through her books and laying them out.

“Basking in my luck. The team is all sick with flu, except me and Gin- so practice got cancelled!” he said with a smile, putting his long legs up on top of some of Hermione’s books. She made her usual glare and he grinned at her before he gave a rough swallow. “So… I was thinking we could maybe go to Hogsmeade together then, since I’m not busy anymore… I mean, if you don’t have plans or anything.”

“Well, I do have something going on midday—”

“Oh! Ok, well then nevermind—”

“But! I think we could manage to spend some time together before it,” Hermione finished, shooting him a twinkly little smile.

“Oh yeah?” Ron said, perking back up. “Ok then! Erm… Meet you at breakfast around nine and we’ll go together from there?”

“Sounds good.”

It was perfect! Ron had a date with Hermione! Well… No it wasn’t a date. She didn’t even look all that excited. She was looking through her bag for a quill, and not even looking at him. Should he push it and make it clear he wanted it to be a date? It was loads safer to not say anything. She’d probably laugh herself silly if he tried. But…

“Well, then…” Ron said, standing up and taking a centering breath.

“It’s-a-date! See-you-tomorrow!” he blurted out.

He said it all very fast, and before she could say a word, and before he could check to see her face, he bolted up the stairs.

“Oh bleeding hell,” Ron cursed himself halfway to his dorm. What had he been thinking? Well… Perhaps she hadn’t understood him? Or thought he didn’t mean it that way? Merlin’s hairy bumhole! What an idiot he was.

As he got to his dorm he found Harry staring at a pile of clothes on his bed, as if they were a particularly difficult riddle that needed solving. He looked up at Ron with relief.

“What am I supposed to wear?” Harry asked gesturing to the pile.

“Start with pants and work your way outward.”

“Really helpful, that. Thanks,” Harry said shortly, giving Ron a two fingered salute. He looked grim and pale faced.

“Is this for… er… Hogsmeade?” Ron asked, putting his hands in his pockets. He and Harry never much talked about girls. He didn’t particularly want to start now.

“Yeah…” Harry groused, putting a hand through his hair. Ron found a sudden reeling sensation twisting in his stomach, knowing he’d have to make the same sort of decision.

Luckily for them both, Dean, Neville and Seamus came in.

“Boys,” Ron said stoutly, gesturing them over with as much bravado as he could. “Harry’s not a clue what to wear for his date with Cho. Thoughts?”

The other boys looked over and laughed a bit but finally, after they all stared at the mound of Harry’s clothes for a good ten minutes, they decided on his nicest jeans and one of his jumpers that fit alright. Something that was nice, but not too nice.

“Don’t want to look like you’re trying too hard, yeah?” Seamus had said.

Late that night, when everyone else was asleep, Ron did a similar dive through all his clothes. He had nothing that could even remotely fall into the category of ‘too nice.’ Did he have anything at all that was even nice? It took a lot of digging, but he finally found the pair of jeans he’d received from Percy that summer, not a week before the prat had abandoned their family. Percy rarely wore anything as casual as jeans, so they were in a respectable state and fit Ron better than any other trousers he owned. He settled on the one jumper he had that didn’t clash with his hair. It was a little knobby with pills of fabric in the armpits- but not enough he thought Hermione would mind. Yes… Hopefully he would look alright for his first Valentine’s date.

_______________________________________________________

“It’s-a-date! See-you-tomorrow!” Ron blurted out before practically sprinting away from Hermione.

Hermione stared after him, her mouth agape as she processed what he’d said.

Surely he didn’t mean… Did he really say date? He couldn’t have possibly meant it as a real date, could he? But then why would Ron say anything like that? She’d hoped he would take some initiative and show interest in her, but wasn’t sure what to make of this. Did this count as him asking her out? Or were they just going to Hogsmeade together because he had nothing better to do?

She hastily gathered her books, not able to think of anything as trivial as runes when she was on the crux of a possible first date with the boy she had fancied for two years!

Oh! Ginny! She needed Ginny’s help immediately. Hermione had no idea what to do with her hair! Or what to wear! Or even if it was possible this was a date.

With as much speed as she could she Leviosa-ed the books and flung them onto her bed, not caring when half of them fell to the floor with a large slam disturbing Parvati and Lavender from a giggling conversation they were having.

She bound to the fourth year’s dormroom and luckily found Ginny reading a quidditch magazine on her four poster.

“Merlin!” Ginny exclaimed, taking in Hermione, who was panting and ringing her hands. “What’s wrong?”

“I think… I think things might be right, actually!” Hermione let out a high pitched desperate sort of laugh, before she squeezed herself around her middle in agitation. “I’m not sure, of course, because I’m never allowed anything to go smoothly in this area, but yes… Yes I think things are going very well!”

Ginny looked at Hermione with concern before putting a hand to her forehead.

“What are you doing?”

“Making sure you don’t have Fwooper Flu.”

“I don’t have flu!” Hermione laughed. Ginny looked just as nonplussed as ever. “No… I— Oh Ginny, I think I might have been asked on a date!”

“What do you mean you think you might have been asked on a date?” Ginny smiled with incredulity.

“Well I was asked to Hogsmeade, and when we made our arrangements to meet up he said ‘it’s a date!’ So I guess, it’s a date?”

“Sounds like it!”

“But it is a common expression!” Hermione fretted. “Maybe it’s not!”

“Well, who asked you?” Ginny asked, seating them both on her bed.

“It was…” Hermione hesitated, biting her lip. Ginny had inferred Hermione liked Ron, but they’d never explicitly discussed it. It felt odd to confess her excitement if this was all a folly and Ron had meant to ask her only as a friend. It was a line she’d never crossed before, and the vulnerability of it made her tremble.

“Was it Ron?” Ginny asked quietly, a look of awe on her face.

Hermione silently nodded her head, and began to clutch at her arms again.

Ginny gave a broad toothy grin that made her resemble a smug Fred or George.

“The coward finally asked you out!” she crowed.

“We don’t know that he did! Like I said, it’s a common expression.”

“Not for Ron! Here, I can go and ask him—” Ginny moved to get up, but Hermione desperately tugged her back in place.

“No!” Hermione said in a strangled voice. “He can’t know I talked to you about it, because if he didn’t mean it as a date, and thought I thought it was a date and cared enough that I was talking about it and discussing it with his sister, then he’d think I fancied him, and he could be weirded out, and it could cosmically shift our dynamic, and then our whole friendship could be in jeopardy!”

“Hermione,” Ginny said putting a bracing hand to her shoulder. “You worry too much.”

“No! I worry the appropriate amount!”

“I won’t say anything, of course, but we all know he’s fancied you for ages. But even if it’s not a date, it can’t hurt to look nice for it and do a little bit of flirting.”

“Well, I came to you to help me with the looking nice bit, but as for flirting, I don’t believe I’ve ever been any good at it.”

“Just laugh at his jokes, and say nice things to him.”

“I do that already!”

Ginny arched an eyebrow.

“What?” Hermione replied defensively. “I do!”

“You kind of do, I guess, but you also go into scold and lecture mode a lot with him… I mean, he totally deserves it, but when’s the last time you complimented him?”

“I don’t know, the last time he did something worth complimenting obviously!” Hermione huffed, throwing up her arms.

“So, never?” Ginny laughed.

Hermione puffed up in response.

“That’s not fair! He’s done loads of things! He does things all the time! He’s very accomplished!”

“Well tell him that, and don’t wait for him to suddenly ‘accomplish’ something on your date.”

“Well you can’t go doling out compliments when people don’t deserve them.”

“I thought you said he was accomplished?”

Hermione squirmed. She was not sure how one should naturally segue way into complimenting when the act hasn’t been achieved recently.

“How?”

“I dunno, bring up past acts of valor or something? You’re a smart one. Make a cheat sheet for yourself and revise!”

Hermione nodded. That’s what she had to do. She needed to sit down and revise! She had no time, really, but she could manage this. Ginny agreed to help her with her hair and outfit the next morning, which left the rest of the night to think of some good compliments for Ron that she could apply in a natural way. And if it wasn’t a date, at least she was planting seeds that might blossom into affection later.

_______________________________________________________

Ron had never spent more time in front of a mirror. He didn’t have to shave all that often yet, but that morning he spent extra time making sure he didn’t have a stray whisker anywhere on his face or neck, made extra sure there wasn’t a pimple or anything hiding somewhere, and fiddled with where to part his hair a good ten minutes. 

Before he knew it, he only had five minutes to get down the dining hall. He and Harry got the breakfast, both looking as peaky as Ron did before a quidditch match. It didn’t take long for Ron to spot Hermione among the students.

Her hair was looking extra tame and bouncy, like she had spent a lot of time on it. That had to be a good sign! She’d pulled back part of it from her face, and… her lips seemed to have a shine to them they normally didn’t. She looked lovely. Was this for him? Or was this for whatever her midday Valentine’s plans were?

She didn’t notice them at first as she was taking a letter from an unfamiliar brown owl. She had an intense look on her face as she quickly read the letter, seeming to come to herself as Ron and Harry sat with her.

“Oh good! You’re here!” she exclaimed, looking to Harry and ignoring Ron. “Listen, Harry. This is really important…. Do you think you could meet me in the Three Broomsticks around midday?”

“Well… I dunno. Cho might be expecting me to spend the whole day with her. We never said what we were going to do.“

“Well, bring her along if you must, but will you come?”

“Well… all right, but why?”

“I haven’t got time to tell you now. I’ve got to answer this quickly—” she said as she got some triangles of toast and shoved them into her bag, ready to leave the room.

Ron should have known she’d forget about their date. Whatever this plan was with Harry seemed to be more important to her than whatever plan she’d made with Ron. He gave a sigh and began to load up his plate, resigned to spend the morning alone, when Hermione stopped mid stride and turned to Ron.

“Well, come along then!” she said, looking at a befuddled Ron. “Make an egg sandwich with your toast or something! We can get more food after I respond to the letter.”

Ron quickly complied and gave a shrug to Harry, who was eyeing them with nothing short of complete confusion. Ron was highly confused as well, but felt quite cheery as he followed Hermione. It was easy to keep up with her, even when she was practically running, since his legs were so long. Hermione always took quick tiny steps wherever she went and it made her curls bounce in a unique was that Ron found adorable.

She was on one of her missions, so Ron knew it best not to interrupt until she’d finished whatever her little task was. She lead them to the Owlery and penned a letter before choosing a school owl.

“This is urgent,” she told the little owl. It hooted in response before taking off. They watched the owl as it got smaller and disappeared over the horizon.

“So…” Ron said, polishing off his hastily made sandwich. “Mind telling me what all that was about?”

She quickly explained her plan to blackmail Rita Skeeter into doing an interview with Harry for the Quibbler so he could finally get the truth out about Voldemort’s return. They were to meet at the The Three Broomsticks midday. Ron had never felt such relief, but also was in awe of how cagey Hermione was.

“That’s a brilliant plan!” he exclaimed giving her a hug. He hastily let go of her and gave her a moment to fix her hair he’d mussed in his excitement.

They went on to the village talking about Skeeter, Harry and a variety of topics in the same easy manner they always did. Ron didn’t know anyone he could talk to as easily as Hermione. Well, besides Harry of course, but it was different. He and Harry talked all the time, but much of it was laughing and shared looks and being able to just hang out. With Hermione there was this… spark. He didn’t know what it was. It just made the whole thing feel exciting, even if it was just debating over the difference between jam, jelly and preserves.

They went on to stare at the Shrieking Shack, recalling memories of third year.

Ron felt his palms begin to sweat. Was this a date or not? How could he make it romantic? Maybe he could do something chivalrous - like give her his coat if she was too cold? Or he could just use the cold as an excuse to hold her closely, and then look into each other’s eyes and, in a fit of passion, kiss each other.

“Are you cold?” Ron asked.

“No, I’m almost too warm, actually. I think I went overboard with my warming charms before we left the castle.”

Ron deflated. Well there went that idea.

“Er, Ron. You look nice today,” Hermione said stiffly.

“Thanks,” he replied, unsure of what to say. “You do too. Your hair is all shiny.”

“Ginny helped me with it.”

“Well she did a good job.”

“Thank you.”

“Welcome,” Ron replied before awkwardly looking away from her.

Oh, this was a disaster! What was he supposed to do or say? Did she look nice because of Rita Skeeter- perhaps wanting to give the woman nothing bad to print about her looks- or was she looking so lovely for him? ‘Your hair is all shiny.’ That wasn’t even a real compliment. What a tosser he was. He could do better than that, surely.

Despite his flimsy attempts at complimenting her, she was smiling at him. He loved the way her eyes seemed to sparkle a bit when she smiled like that. They reminded him of a rock in Percy’s rock collection he’d seen. It was called Tiger’s eye, and the shiny crystal had a special sort of soft lustre to it just like Hermione’s. Her eyes weren’t just brown, they had all sorts of honeyed hues to them.

“Your eyes look like rocks,” Ron said, before his eyes widened and his ears went red.

“I mean… Shit,” Ron cursed himself.

Hermione began to look angry.

“Did you really just say my eyes look like shi—”

“NO! I— fuck… No! I was trying to say they look like this special stone Percy had in his rock collection. It has all sorts of different colors in them. Tiger’s eye. Like… it was a really pretty rock, I swear! My favorite.”

Hermione stared at him in befuddlement before a smile broke out on her face, and her shoulders began to shake with suppressed laughter.

“Oh don’t laugh!” Ron rolled his head away from her, his face going red. After a moment of listening to her laugh, he found himself fighting a grin. “To be fair, in my mind it was really poetic.”

“I’m sure it was!” Hermione beamed at him.

“See, right there! When you smile like that! Looks just like it,” Ron enthused.

“That’s very sweet, Ron.”

His eyebrows rose as he looked down at her.  So his rock thing had worked! Maybe he could try his other gambit?

“You sure you’re not cold at all?” he asked, giving her a hopeful look.

“Well, maybe my hands are a bit cold.”

Ron quickly grabbed her gloved hands in his own and held them tight. She was so tiny in every way. It amazed him how small even her knuckles were compared to his. He sandwiched her hands between his and began to rub them. He wished she weren’t wearing gloves- but it was still nice to have her so close and do something a bit more intimate than he’d managed before. _______________________________________________________

Hermione felt a thrill run through her as he took her hands in his. Even through her gloves she could feel the warmth of his hands burning through her. Everything about Ron was warmth and fire. His hair, his fiery temper, the way he could flush a deep red, and even how warm bodied he was. She’d be shivering from cold, and Ron would complain it was hot.

She wished she could bury herself in his embrace and feel warmed all over by him. He’d been rather daring, in his own way, trying to compliment her and holding her hands. Surely that wasn’t just friendly. It was notably different than his usual behavior. Perhaps she could test the waters and see.

“You know… I do think that warming charm on my coat is beginning to wear off.”

Ron’s eyebrows shot up high on his face, and his ears were beginning to turn a rosy hue.

“Well,” he said before roughly swallowing. “Well, you can share my coat if you like.”

Hermione quickly nodded, and he opened his coat wide for her to bury herself in. She slowly skimmed her hands along his sides before she wrapped her arms around his waist. Her face cuddled into his chest and she let a breath out as he closed in the side of his coat and wrapped his arms around her.

“I-Is that any better?” he asked, voice a bit husky.

“Much,” Hermione sighed. She knew she couldn’t keep doing this for long. She’d lied when she said her warming charm was wearing off. It was still going strong and she was already feeling a bit sweaty and overheated like this, and Ron would no doubt feel the heat from her coat soon. It was worth the physical discomfort, though, to be wrapped in his embrace like this.

The heat finally pushed her to let go of him. Even though he was so much taller than she, he was stooped so low his face was quite near hers. His face was flushed a deep pink, most likely from having a girl the temperature of a hot water bottle wrapped about him.

“I just remembered! I need some quills,” she lied, as she pulled herself away from him, not wanting to cause him further discomfort. ”Would you mind stopping by Scrivenshaft’s?”

“Wha— Er, yeah that’s fine,” he said, looking a bit glum.

“We can stop by some place more fun for you, if you like. I can put off the quills.”

“Naw, I’d probably just spend my pocket change on something stupid. Let’s get you some quills.”

They made their way down the road and Ron patiently waited as Hermione found herself new set of quills at Scrivenshaft’s. She’d dithered between a lovely set of minty green quills that was a little overpriced, or some more practical ones. Ron ended up waiting outside as she began chatting with a clerk about paper thickness and its effects on paper charms and hexes. She hadn’t made up her mind which set to buy when the lady behind the counter wrapped the nice quills in a colorful paper bag with a bow.

“Oh, no need to wrap that!” Hermione called out as the final flourish was added to the bow. “I hadn’t decided if I was going to indulge myself and buy them or not.”

“But it’s a gift!”

“What?”

The lady pointed to Ron who was casually leaning against the building. “He paid for it while you were chatting.”

They weren’t inexpensive quills, and Hermione felt prodigiously guilty that she’d made up the story of needing them in the first place. She’d only said that to more gracefully detach herself from Ron and not embarrass herself. She knew he didn’t have much money to spend on something like this.

As she opened the door, he gave her one of his lopsided smiles.

“All done?”

“Yes,” she smiled back before biting her lip. “You needn’t have paid for my quills, though.”

“I wanted to.”

“But, they were rather expensive and—”

“I know how much they cost. I bought them,” Ron said, brusquely cutting her off. His ears were red again. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll probably end up borrowing them and forgetting to return them. So it’s as much for you as it is for me.”

“Well…” He had a look on his face that clearly said she was treading into dangerous territory. “Alright then.”

He grinned back at her and she simpered before gripping the package close to her chest.

It felt a merry day until the skies opened and rain began to soak them through. Hermione had a small umbrella on hand that was most definitely not big enough for both of them. The umbrella did little to protect them from the wind whipping the rain into their sides, so they ran all the way to the Three Broomsticks. They both laughed as they entered the pub and found a table near the fire.

“Y’know, I think we got wetter trying to share the umbrella between us than if we’d just hoofed it,” Ron grinned as he unwrapped his wet scarf from around his neck. He hastily added, “not that it wasn’t appreciated.”

“I think you’re right, I’m soaked,” Hermione agreed with a laugh, wringing out her hair a bit. She gave a shudder as she took off her coat and the cold prickled at her, but a blast of warm air quickly drove the cold away. Ron had his wand out aimed directly at her.

“Oh! You musn’t use magic!” she admonished, looking around them to make sure no one had seen. “If you get caught you could get in loads of trouble!”

“I’m near enough to seventeen. If it were in front of muggles alarms would go off or something, but a place like this?”

“The Trace follows you everywhere!”

“Well… kind of,” Ron said with a shrug, ordering them two butterbeers and holding out her chair for her. “They can’t know WHO did magic in a place, only that it was done. Unless they were specifically looking for me, in a place buzzing with magic like this, it goes largely unnoticed. All my brothers were able to skate by with spells in Hogsmeade, so I’m not too fussed.”

“Well you still shouldn’t do it in a pub where anyone could see you,” she warned, looking about the patrons. Ron simply leaned back in his chair, his rangy legs stretched out so far they almost reached the other side of the long table.

“It’ll be fine. One of the few perks from having a hundred older brothers is you know which rules are a bit more flexible than others. You get to sit back, watch their mistakes, and mostly not repeat them.”

“No, you find all sorts of new mistakes they couldn’t even imagine,” she smirked, thinking back to their misadventures.

“Well if your brothers have already succeeded in every way,” said Ron, putting out a dramatic hand, “you might as well fail uniquely and spectacularly.”

He had a conspiratorial smile on his face.

“I’d say the Twins are taking that approach to school,” she added.

“Yeah. Guess they beat me to that too,” he laughed, though his smile didn’t seem to reach his eyes. “Not really any paths left to blaze.”

“You are blazing your own path though, Ron,” Hermione protested. “You’ve done loads.”

“Hmm,” he said with a doubtful look, before thanking Madame Rosmerta for the butterbeers, and taking a long draw from his mug.

Hermione thought back to Ginny’s advice to compliment Ron. This was a perfect set-up.

“Y’know, I think that Ravencl—” he began.

“You are very accomplished!” Hermione interrupted Ron, her face red.

“What?” he incredulously asked, eyebrows raised.

“I said you’re very accomplished.”

“Oh go on,” he laughed with dismissive hand wave before chugging down some more butter beer.

Well that hadn’t landed well at all! What was she supposed to do? Specifics! She should lay it out like one of her essays. She’d studied up on it the night before, but why was her mouth turning to cotton and her brain turning horribly blank on how to say it? She had actually written out a list for herself and had it stowed in her book bag. She never had a problem answering questions in class, but right now she had no ability to speak.

“One moment!” she said, leaning down to fish the list out from her book bag. It took little time to find the parchment. It was rather long and she’d stayed up late to make sure she covered her bases. “Here it is. See! You’ve done loads!”

On autopilot she handed it to Ron like turning in an essay to a teacher. The facts were all there, and she was rather proud to supply her evidence, all neatly outlined in her even script.

The moment he took it from her hand, though, panic crackled through her. She reached towards the parchment to wrench it back, but it was too late— he was already reading it.

“What is this?”

“Oh! Er…” She couldn’t possibly tell him why she had compiled the list. What was she thinking, bringing the list out for him to see? He’d either think she was mad, or never want to look at her again for fear she was a stalker.

“I just … It’s proof of your accomplishments… good attributes…” she mumbled, glancing up to see what his reaction was.

Ron’s usually expressive face was wildly unreadable as his eyes went back and forth over the parchment. His ears began to redden as he continued on, and he shifted in his seat to sit up quite straight, intently studying it.

She needed an excuse for writing it. In her panic it took a moment, but she finally had it.

“When you got your prefect badge, and the twins were making fun saying it was unexpected you’d gotten the badge—  I didn’t say anything to counter them, and I was feeling guilty about it, and wanted to let you know your good attributes and accomplishments. Perhaps it could have been a birthday gift. I shouldn’t have done it now… As you can see there’s a lot there…” she finished in a small voice. She stared at her lap unable to look up at him.

“You numbered them,” he said, bemused.

“Yes.”

“There’s a hundred and twenty three lines?”

“Yes… I know you must think I’m ridiculous for writing it all out but—”

His arms were suddenly around her, and she was pulled into a tight embrace. His cheek was pressed against the side of her forehead, and she could feel an almost imperceptible quake to his arms.

She’d never been hugged like this by him before, and was so stunned it took a moment for her to engage her arms and wrap them around his back. Had his chest always been so broad?

“Thank you,” he roughly whispered in her ear.

She nodded and leaned into his embrace further, closing her eyes.

“Oh, young love is it?” came a voice from behind them, startling them apart.

_______________________________________________________

Rita Skeeter stood at their table, looking bedraggled compared to the last time she’d bothered them. She’d always been overly polished and artificial— once the veneer was gone it wasn’t a pretty sight. Everything about her was chipped and worn looking, from her raggedy nails to her grubby raincoat.

“Harry and Luna should be joining us soon,” Hermione said, an imperious little look on her face. It was like her words willed Luna to appear, for the pale girl with the protuberant eyes worked her way through the crowded table to join them, a drink with a cocktail onion in her hand.

“Hello Ronald, I didn’t expect you here,” she smiled, staring at him with her grey eyes that just didn’t seem to blink as often as other people’s eyes. She was wearing a large woven poncho and her hair hung lankly from the rain. “It’s been perfect weather.”

“Er, I guess… If you like it when it’s bucketing down.”

“I do!” she said wringing out her poncho on the floor and getting some stares from local patrons as she flapped it in the air. Hermione had loudly started pulling out paperwork from her bag for Luna to look at, but Rita ignored everything. Instead she had out her acid green quill and had been scribbling away.

> _‘Harry Potter’s love life has taken a tragic turn as femme fatale Hermione Granger breaks his heart again, leaving him for his other, supposed, best friend Ronald Weasley. Weasley, who Potter valiantly saved in the heartrending second task of the Triwizard Tournament, was seen seducing Granger on an intimate date at the Three Broomsticks this Valentine’s Day. The two were entwined by the fireplace in an appalling display that left patrons gaping. One has to wonder how Harry could possibly forgive the two, the lanky ginger haired boy who has betrayed his friend, and the brunette who has broken his heart— ’_

“Oi!” Ron cried out. “You can’t be writing claptrap like that about us.”

“You mean to say this wasn’t a romantic rendezvous between you and Little Miss Perfect.”

Ron opened and closed his mouth, unsure of how to respond. He looked to Hermione who was watching him just as avidly as Skeeter.

“We’re not the reason you’re here and aren’t your story. Harry is,” Ron managed, feeling quite proud of himself for such a diplomatic response. Hermione’s mouth was a hard line, but she began to nod.

“That’s right,” she added, looking away from Ron.

In short order, Harry arrived sans Cho, and the meeting was underway. Rita made her attempts to pry into his love life, but Hermione brilliantly shut it down and got the interview going in a trice. Ron couldn’t help but admire how she’d taken charge and put the horrid reporter in her place.

They sat nearby as Harry recounted what had happened the night of the Third Task. Every time he said Voldemort Ron felt a shiver go down his spine, but nothing left him quite as shaken as seeing the look on Harry’s face as he grimly talked about Cedric’s death and being tortured. He hated seeing his friend look so torn up and sporting such a far away sad look in his eye. He couldn’t look away though. If Harry had the guts to go through it and talk about it, the least Ron could do was sit and listen. Hermione’s eyes were filled with tears, but she wiped them away as soon as they appeared. Even Luna, who seemed to have a wandering attention span, was raptly watching the interview the whole time.

When it concluded Rita said a few acid comments to Hermione, but Hermione was beaming.

“Harry I’m so proud of you!” Hermione enthused once the reporter had left, giving Harry a hug. He feebly returned it.

“Well done, mate,” Ron added, clapping a pale Harry on the shoulder.

“It was nearly as powerful as that lovely article about the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks,” said Luna. She went off a bit about how she didn’t know when the article would be released, as the Snorkack article might take precedence. Ron vaguely knew Mr Lovegood, and had a feeling even someone as dotty as Luna’s dad would know he had a story worth galleons.

They walked out the door to find the rain had stopped.

“Oh what a terrible change in the weather…  I was hoping to walk in it a bit more. It’s supposed to be a good cure for nargles,” Luna said vaguely before skipping off humming Ron’s least favorite song, ‘ _Weasley is Our King_.’ In all the excitement, he’d forgotten about his ill-fated Quidditch tenure.

Harry gave a sigh, which brought Ron back to the moment.

“Want to head back to the castle?” Ron asked him. He knew it didn’t do much good to ask Harry directly how he was holding up.

“Yeah… You don’t have to though.”

That was Harry’s way of saying he wanted alone time.

“We’ll come with you,” Hermione said earnestly. Ron put a hand to her elbow, and gave her a look. She seemed to understand him and gave a small almost imperceptible nod. “But I do need to… to stop by the quill shop… Perhaps we can meet you in a bit at the castle?”

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll catch you at dinner,” Harry rattled off looking relieved before walking away towards the castle, hands in his pockets. Dinner wasn’t for another three hours at least. This one had hit Harry hard. Ron would have to get something to distract Harry when he checked on him.

“Let’s get him some sweets from Honeyduke’s,” said Ron, leading them to the shop and giving Hermione a teasing look. “‘Need to stop by the quill shop.’ You’re lucky Harry didn’t notice your sack from Scrivenshaft’s.”

Hermione gave a nervous laugh before biting her lip.

“Are you sure he needs space?”

“Positive.”

“‘ _Catch you at dinner,’_ he says’” Hermione huffed. “Dinner is not for another three hours! It just seems an awfully long time to put off having company after going through something so difficult. You saw the look on his face having to live through it all again… It was clearly traumatizing. If it weren’t so necessary I would feel even worse for asking him to do it.”

“Don’t worry about it. He’s made of stern stuff,” Ron said with more confidence than he felt. “We’ll get him some sweets to tithe him over, then he’ll feel loads better when the article comes out and people are on his side again.”

“You really think this will work?”

“Of course it will! It was a brilliant idea,” Ron nodded. “And you handled Skeeter perfectly.”

Hermione was smiling at him and he felt the tinge of nerves from earlier come back.

“You handled her pretty well yourself,” she said a bit tightly.

“Yeah? Well…” he said putting a hand to the back of his neck. “Didn’t want her to get things sideways like she does…”

“Would it have been sideways to write that we were on a date though?”

His ears were on fire. His throat was so unable to produce sound he might as well have been twisted like a towel getting wrung out. Her eyes were boring into him, studying him as thoroughly as she did any tome.

“I… I said ‘it’s a date’ when I asked you to come to Hogsmeade,” he said testing the waters.

“But that’s a common expression, and I wasn’t sure if you meant it in the colloquial way, or if you meant it as a formal invitation,” she persisted. “Was-was this a date?”

“Well… to be honest…” But could he be? Could he tell her he fancied her? That her kiss on his cheek earlier that year had meant more to him than any other touch he’d felt in his life? That she smelled so good? That she made him actually look forward to studying because it meant more time with her? That she powered his Patronus more consistently than anything else? “To be honest, I’ve been wondering the same thing myself.”

“You’re the one who asked me!” said Hermione, throwing her hands in exasperation.

“Well which did you want it to be?” Ron asked, making a last ditch effort to know how she felt.

Her face turned scarlet. “Just answer the question!”  

How come he had to be the one to lay everything on the line? He’d taken loads of risks already. He’d asked her out, he’d initiated some cuddling and hand-holding, he’d bought her a nice gift, held her chair out and done a drying charm when she was cold. He’d put himself out there fairly boldly… And if he’d misread this whole thing he wasn’t sure what the repercussions could be. Would the awkwardness dash their friendship to ribbons? Would she laugh at him for daring to think she’d like a nobody like him?

“If you are the one inviting a person out,” she began to lecture, “then you know which way you meant it when you said ‘it’s a date!’ That’s the basic structure of invitations, which you seem unable to grasp!”

“I just don’t want to ruin everything!”

“Oh, you’ve ruined plenty already!” Hermione snapped.

“Have it your way, then. I guess I just ruin everything.”

Ron stomped off to use his last few knuts to buy Harry some chocolate, but stopped to look back.

“You coming?” he growled at her.

Hermione petulantly looked away, but seemed to change her mind. Her hair had lost some of its sleekness and was bouncing in its usual wild fashion as she ran at him. He hopefully raised his arms out to catch her, and  let out an ‘oof’ as she forcibly shoved the bag of quills into his stomach.

“Keep them!” she spat before tearing off for the castle, leaving a flabberghasted Ron in her wake.

_______________________________________________________

Hermione stormed her way to the castle and had to restrain herself from hexing a couple out of her way as they slowly ambled with their hands entwined. That was supposed to be her and Ron! Or was it? They were at this ridiculous impasse where he just wouldn’t tell her if all those little moments that meant so much to her were just friendship or something more. He’d been so sweet, and thoughtful, and bought her a lovely gift… And she’d shoved it right back at him…

“Oh well done, Hermione,” she cursed herself once she was finally alone in her dormitory.

She wasn’t even sure why she’d done it. He was just being so infuriatingly evasive, and she’d just snapped. She’d needed an answer. She’d needed to know without risking her pride being hurt. Maybe she’d have a chance to mend things at dinner. Ron wouldn’t abandon Harry after the hard day he’d had recounting the Third Task and that terrible graveyard. He could act as a buffer and they’d get back to an uneasy truce of some sort.

It took a while to calm her nerves and head downstairs to wait for the boys to come down. She sat beside the fire trying to translate her ancient runes poem, but found it impossible to concentrate.  Would Ron even want to look at her? Would he have told Harry about her losing her temper demanding he declare it a date? She worried her lip until She gave a hiss and put her hand to her lip. She winced in pain and tasted a hint of blood.

“Hey. Seen Ron?”

She looked up to see Harry standing there looking peaked. She’d ruined Valentine’s Day for all three of them it seemed.

“Not since Hogsmeade, no,” she said, rolling up her parchment. “Did you want to get some dinner?”

“Oh… I guess…” Harry said with no enthusiasm at all. He looked about the room. She knew that look. He didn’t want her company; he wanted Ron. This was nothing new. Whenever Harry was down he immediately started looking around for Ron to cheer him up. Hermione couldn’t begrudge him doing this; she felt the exact same way. She and Harry got along very well of course, and she quite enjoyed his company, but neither of them were exactly the cheery sort. They were good at working out problems together, but just sitting and living their lives together? Having a good time? That was a bit more strained when they weren’t united with an actual purpose driving their conversation.

“Well let’s get some food. Where there’s food there’s usually Ron, right?” she asked, trying to bolster her spirits as much as Harry’s.

“Yeah… Right,” Harry said with a small smile.

But Ron wasn’t there. They each barely touched their food as they looked about for Ron and he was nowhere to be found as dinner came and passed. They finally gave up and went back to Gryffindor Tower.

“Are you quote sure he didn’t make his way to the dorm while you were there?”

“Er, well I was napping for a bit there, so maybe,” Harry replied.

He still looked exhausted and quickly withdrew to his dormitory, leaving Hermione by herself again. She sat by the fireplace again waiting for him, and it wasn’t until well past curfew when she heard the click of the portrait hole. Ron trudged through the portrait hole, his broom in hand, a miserable look on his face.

She moved from her chair and he gave a startle, nearly dropping his broom.

“Blimey, Hermione! You nearly gave me a heart attack!” he hoarsely let out. He was wet through and his boots were covered in mud.

“Where have you been?”

He looked to his broom then back to her with a quizzical look on his face.

“Fine… Why didn’t you come back for dinner? Harry was still really upset and could have used you here for moral support,” she said, her chin held aloft.

“I wasn’t hungry, and needed to get in some practice,” he said meeting her gaze, before dropping it. “I’ll check in on him in the morning and make sure he’s sorted, so don’t worry about it.”

“You shouldn’t skip meals.”

“Of the three of us, I’m the one who does it the least,” he said, voice tight. An edge filled silence choked them both.

“Well… It’s late, and I need to clean myself up…” Ron said after a beat. “See you at breakfast?”

“Alright…” she replied, cheeks beginning to burn.

His trainers squelched with every step he took as he headed towards his dorm. He had already taken a few of the steps, two at a time as usual, when he stopped his path.

“Hermione…” How was it he could say her name and it made her pulse quicken. “About Hogsmeade…”

She couldn’t bare it. He was going to reveal he cared nothing for her! That in her lonely desperation she’d somehow wildly extrapolated he liked her as more as a friend. She couldn’t hear him say the words. It’d make it too real.

“Don’t worry about it,” she cut him off. “I’ll see you both at breakfast.”

She retreated to her dormitory with such haste she was a bit out of breath by the time she reached her fourposter. She wanted to sob into her pillow, but refused to let herself, for fear of Lavender and Parvati hearing about it and reporting it to everyone around them. No. She’d never tell a soul that her dreams had been dashed; that she’d sabotaged a perfectly lovely time. Even if Ron had thought of her as a potential date, he’d never think of her that way now.

The next morning Ginny made her inquiries of how Hogsmeade was and Hermione forced a smile onto her face.

“We had a good time!” she said with forced lightness. Ginny raised her eyebrows, uncannily reminding her of Ron. She looked like she was about to question Hermione further, but with heavy thump Ron and Harry through themselves onto the bench across from Hermione.

Harry was looking remarkably better than he had the previous day. All he needed was a good dose of Ron’s company.

“Alright?” Ron asked, looking between her and Ginny.

“Of course,” Hermione said, taking a large gulp of orange juice. Ginny was called away by some of her friends, but gave her a look that clearly said ‘we have a lot to discuss’ as she left.

They ate their breakfasts and if there was any tension to be seen between Hermione and Ron, Harry seemed oblivious as he laughed about the state of Skeeter with Ron, and pointedly ignored the Ravenclaw table where Cho Chang was staring at his back.

As they rose to go to their first class, Ron pushed a small box across to Hermione. It had a bit of mud on it, but otherwise it was still the same beautiful pristine box of mint green quills he’d bought her.

“Thought you might want these before class.”

He was keenly looking at her. Sometimes she thought of Ron as quite clueless, but then he’d look at her like this and she’d feel utterly naked and seen. His blue eyes were looking right through her, surely.

“Thank you,” she let out, a bit breathless.

“What’s that?” Harry asked.

“Nothing!” They simultaneously replied, even though it was everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts are open- no guarantee I'll write it- but I'm open to them! :)


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